We can hate our selves to death OR we can love ourselves to health.
Hmmmm.... let that soak in a minute. What does that mean? I learned to finally love who I am {inside and out} at my highest weight. You read that right. It was a journey that took (and still takes) dedication and work, but was deeply liberating.
The diet mentality is a vicious cycle that usually thrives on us hating our bodies and feeling that we are never good enough or just right. It becomes an unhealthy obsession.
If only my thighs didn't touch I'd be skinny enough.
I will be happy when I lose or gain 'x' amount of pounds.
If I looked like her/him I'd like myself too.
The amount of negative self talk people have daily astounds them when they start paying attention to it.
There are no flaws with our glorious bodies. The flaws lie with how we talk to ourselves and how we compare ourselves to other people who live a completely different life than us.
The flaws are the advertisements, social media posts, misconceptions on what healthy is and the variations of normal therein. The flaws are in a small comment or idea about our body at a young age that then becomes our entire focus until is consumes us and we miss all the infinite beauty that we are.
You see, the body positive movement is not about never wanting change (at least not to me). It's about not wasting our days hating ourselves. It's about being kinder to ourselves and others. It's about saying, 'Hey I don't owe anyone an explanation, this journey is mine and I own it.” It's personal.
I've always known I would have many babies close in age, and when I was done with those years I'd be upon a new season. My body has been through so many changes having six awesome humans! Isn't that beautiful, too? I think so.
The best part is, I now know how to love myself as I am (finally!) and, therefore, I can love myself through change. I can love myself to health and so can you.
That, my friends, is empowering as hell.
