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I try to avoid any negative statement that begins with "my___" so on an energetic, Universal level, the issue won't settle into my body. But the truth is I have cellulite. My cellulite. I claim it. Get over it.
I have dealt with this not so beautiful skin for about 20 years. And while I'm a yogi, an active mom and conscious of what I put in my body, cellulite has liked being a part of me and I have accepted its residency.
I use to do everything possible to fight it: butt videos, no carbs, juicing, strength training, rubbing coffee grounds on me, creams that promise tighter skin and essential oils. But I have come to the realization that my cellulite isn't a big deal. And if I obsess about it, I'm taking away from living my life fully, from teaching my daughter and others how important it is to love and accept our bodies with all our perfect imperfections, and from doing something meaningful to make the World a better place or achieve my dreams.
Sure, I'll still be active, tone my muscles and live a healthy lifestyle, but I have more important things to do than stay hung up on cellulite. If it offends you, don't look.
We're a society that focuses on the perfect body instead of on acceptance.
Is somebody's size going to stop a war? Will saggy skin make a difference in someone's learning capacity? Is a big butt going to help stop hunger?
So why do we obsess about our size? What we really need to focus on is acceptance and non-judgement.
Can you imagine if you woke up tomorrow and didn't worry about the size of your clothes? If your butt looked all right in your jeans? Wouldn't it be liberating to finally not compare or judge ourselves or others, for that matter, and accept ourselves as is? Especially when we live a healthy lifestyle and do what we need to do to keep our bodies in an optimal healing state.
The details of size and shape don't matter.
Thankfully we're in a time where some women see how ridiculous it is to constantly shame ourselves for not being a fake media version of a celebrity body. They are standing up to say, "I am perfect as is."
It's time we stop staring at cellulite and start asking someone how they feel or if we can help them. It's time to start being the role models for girls who were led to believe mom needs to be skinny, and so does she. And it's time to look at the real issues in the world, like how our planet is depleting in resources daily, instead of how much damn cellulite is on someone's thighs.
I dream of a day when we are free of preconceived ideas that our body needs to be thin, toned and smooth in order to be valuable.
Practice this today...
Take the one thing about your body that bothers you and look at it with non-judging eyes. It's a baby step, but seeing it without it being bad is the beginning. Your hang up isn't a disease you need to hide from. It's a part of your body and it wants to be loved by you the way you love your child or your pets.
Place your right hand on the area that's been judged by you and, with your left hand on your heart, say, "I lovingly accept you and you are perfect as is." It might feel odd and be hard to do at first, but that will change over time.
You need to feel love for this area, instead of just saying the words. Practicing daily will transform your judging eyes into acceptance and eventually love. Every piece of you is beautiful and nothing short of magnificent. What you see on the outside is only a tiny portion of who you are.
I recently saw a guy online comment on a picture of a girl in a yoga pose. "Looking great, so glad to see you don't have cellulite." Like it's some deathly plague? This is what we value as a society, more than how yoga is a healing practice.
Let's get real and remember our body is a machine, and your vessel to carry you through this life. Take care of it and honor it. Show it love and respect. More than anything, accept it and don't judge it. The cellulite or flabby belly or whatever it is you're obsessing about is only an outward appearance. It has nothing to do with who you are, so get over it.
You have much more to do with your day to make a difference.