Hey there. For a long time, self-deprecating humor was my thing. I’d make the jokes first. I’d be the one to point out my flaws before anyone else could. I told myself that if people were laughing with me, they weren’t laughing at me. But what I eventually realized is that every time I did that, I chipped away at my own self-worth.
And if you’re honest with yourself, you might be doing the same thing.
Maybe you joke about how slow your workouts are. Maybe you comment on how your eating habits are a mess. Maybe you brush off your progress by saying it’s not “real.” On the surface, it’s just humor. But underneath it? That’s where the hurt lives. That’s where the discomfort sits. And the truth is, the more we lean into those habits, the harder it is to fully connect with ourselves.
I get it. I grew up in husky jeans. I have cerebral palsy. I’ve always had reasons to feel different, and I spent a lot of time trying to make sure no one saw those things as weaknesses. Humor was my armor. But that armor also became a cage.
Here’s what I’ve learned. You cannot truly appreciate yourself while also making yourself the punchline. You cannot minimize your effort, your progress, your story, and still expect to feel proud. At some point, you have to let go of the habit of making yourself small just to feel safe.
Living from the inside out means learning how to value yourself without conditions. It means recognizing that you don’t need to defend your journey with sarcasm. You can own it. You can celebrate it. You can speak about yourself with the same respect you give to others.
That starts with small, consistent actions. That’s why I talk about the six minimum daily actions. That’s why I created YLF Thursday. That’s why this podcast exists. Because reinforcing this message every day is how we shift the narrative.
If you’re tired of feeling like the joke… if you’re ready to take the weight loss journey off autopilot and build something real and lasting… it’s time to stop mocking yourself. It’s time to start appreciating who you are and what you’re capable of.
You’re not the joke. You never were.
If you’re ready to work through this stuff and build a fitness and lifestyle routine that reflects the respect you’re learning to have for yourself, join The YLF Experience. I’ll be right there with you.