I fear that society has damaged the way that we see our bodies. We are constantly being marketed a look that we must strive to reach. Skinny, curvy, longer hair, short hair cuts, a different hair color, different eye color, we are taught to strive for something we are not or never will be, to all look the same. We are scared that something is wrong with looking the way that we are, that our bodies are in constant need of fixing, that one day we will look like the ideal. What does that look like? I learned that the ideal body is the one you have right now. There is a bigger, unknown reason you have those stretch marks, those long legs. This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t work to our bodies healthier; healthy always works and only works if the mind is also healthy, but this is to say that there is no reason to put yourself down based on your appearance. In this blog post i’m going to discuss body positivity, body acceptance, and share my thoughts on our relationship with the one thing that makes us whole.
The Misunderstood Beauty of What You Already Have
I fell victim to the lie that there was something wrong with the way that I look. My nose being too big, my stomach moving too much when I run, I’ve even been told that the way my forehead dimples up when I widen my eyes was unattractive. These are things I could not change. My relationship with my body was always a bit somber. Not only did I feel it was unattractive, but I couldn’t connect with it. It didn’t cooperate with me the way I thought it should, things like lack of eye contact, loss of my sense of touch when highly stressed, twitching and types of distortion. My mind, body, and soul were not properly aligned. No one tells you that alignment is the foundation of everything that makes you, you.
Eventually, I aligned, I found my connection, and most importantly, I found my confidence.
My sophomore year of college, I was looking for a job that wouldn’t drain me. The job posting I found was the most revitalizing job I have ever worked. For 3 hours a day, twice a week, I would walk into an empty classroom, undress behind a partition, walk up on a stage surrounded by future artists, and pose. Here, my body was viewed as an object to be understood. Each curve, hair, and movement was carefully studied. My body wasn’t just a part of me; it became a part of a story in everyone’s journey. This classroom was where those students observed the way each bone, muscle, and skin tissue moves to create an action. I was apart of something much greater than myself or my body. It was here that I was reminded how much of ourselves is shared with others and how important it is to take care of ourselves, not just for ourselves, but to add to the divine connection that we have with one another.
When I walked off the stage, I was able to see each interpretation. Some were scarily accurate, some not so much, but all of these drawings were a bit of me, and a bit of the artist, melded into something greater than the both of us. The way my body was molded then was perfect for that purpose. Never discount the beauty in what you already have.
What your Body Really is
Your body was handcrafted by billions of years of specifically designed DNA to create the person you are today. What you look like is years of history, of love, of strife, of sheer determination. Every mole, every extra finger, every dimple is important in making up who you are. Who you are is your emotions, your feelings, your intelligence, all being carried by this body. We get one chance to love it, what it looks like right now. You will never be in this body again, it is a gift, one that is constantly taking care of you. You will never know how many times it stopped you from getting cancer, how many times its reflexes saved you or your child, how many times that hair you tussle with in the mirror has protected you from a bad burn.
I urge you not waste time grabbing your muffin top in the mirror, what your holding is an important piece of biological ingenuity that helped your ancestors. Do everything in your power to nurture it. Eating healthy and exercising are extremely beneficial when done in the right mindset. Relish in what your body is and what it can do, and you may find its capabilities are beyond what you ever thought.
Protect and Appreciate Your Body
You only have this one. You could read a hundred blogs telling you what you should eat, how you should exercise, what skincare products are the best, but we must also understand how to protect our energy.
Be mindful of the words you use to speak about your body; the words carry weight much heavier than the weights our bodies could ever reach. Negative words change perspectives, rewire your brain, and create a cycle of hate. Your body doesn’t need that. Speak of it as if it is your prized possession, it is.
Listen to your body. It will tell you when it’s in need. The more you listen, the easier your alignment will flow. Drink water when you’re thirsty, eat when you’re hungry, and sleep when you’re tired. Understanding and following these cues will open the door to much more important cues. Each emotion you have is felt in the body. Be mindful of where you are feeling something. When you’re anxious, do you feel it in your chest, when you’re happy, do you feel it in your toes? When you feel that something is going to happen, and then it happens, did your nose twitch? Our bodies are made for our survival, understanding its cues will help you to unlock the many ways that it keeps us safe.
Sit with yourself, understand the ways your fingers bend, and count all of the lines on your palm. Appreciate the way that your body looks. Adorn it with clothes that make you feel good, beautiful jewlery, or get a tattoo that represents who you are. Walk in your body with pride and appreciate all the little things that make you, you. Find that mind, body, and spirit alignment, and you will be unstoppable.
Thank you so much for reading. As always, your support means everything. Look in the mirror, at those freckles, those baby hairs, the things that makeup YOU, and tell it Thank You, thank you for supporting you, for keeping you healthy and strong, and thank it for being the body that carries you through your time on Earth. This is to you and your body, hoping that you stay Alive and All Over!