AZRedHot
10-19-2004, 10:36 PM
Tomorrow is the annual celebration of Love Your Body Day (http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/index.html), started three years back by the National Organization of Women, and I invite all of us, men and women, to try it, just for today. If you like it, try again tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. Love your own body. Love the bodies around you. We all, I think, do the best we can with what we have, but insecurity is rampant, and that’s a shame. Literally. So many of us are ashamed of our bodies when we shouldn’t be. And we pass that shame on like a social disease. Self-hate, the gift that keeps on giving, generation after generation. It's an emotional fruitcake. Nobody likes it, but we keep passing it around.
It took me a long, long, loooooooong time to learn to love my body, and I’ll admit, we still have spats sometimes. But for the most part, we are friends. It does what I want it to do. It runs and dances and jumps and rests and loves and laughs and sings and hugs and smiles and carries. I’ve learned to love my curves. I am openly infatuated with my own muscles and will offer them up for appreciation, unsolicited, at any time, to unsuspecting bystanders. I’ve also learned to smile on the pudgy parts, the scars, and the stretch marks like an indulgent aunt on a sassy but adorable child. It was difficult, I'll admit. But so worth it.
I owe a lot of that to the folks here, so I thank you all so very much for your generous comments and encouragement.
On my bulletin board at work, and also hanging somewhere at home, I have the following that I picked up some years back. In honor of the day, I’d like to share it. When my women’s circle was still meeting, we closed every evening with it, and it always gave me chills. They are words to live by. I try to, anyway.
The Real Woman Creed
I believe that within me lies an extraordinary radiance,
and I commit to letting my light loose in the world.
I believe that the source of my power and wisdom is in the center of my being,
and I commit to acting from this place of strength.
I believe that I possess an abundance of passion and creative potential
and I commit to the expression of these gifts.
I believe that the time has come to let go of old notions and unhealthy attitudes, and I commit to re-examining what I have been told about beauty and dismiss what insults my soul.
I believe that negative thoughts and words compromise my well-being, and I commit to thinking and speaking positively about myself and others.
I believe that young women are in need of positive role models,
and I commit to being an example of authenticity and self-love.
I believe in the relationship between my well-being and the well-being of the planet, and I commit to a life of mindfulness that regards all living things as holy and worthy of my love.
I believe it is my spiritual responsibility to care for my body with respect, kindness, and compassion. I commit to balancing my life in such a way that my physical being is fully expressed and nurtured.
I believe that joy is an essential part of wellness, and I commit
to removing obstacles to joy and creating a life that is full of exuberance.
I believe that a woman who loves herself is a powerful, passionate, attractive force, and I commit, from this day forward, to loving myself deeply and extravagantly.
So that's my two bits. Ladies and gents, I invite you to share some body self-love comments here. I know there's been a similar thread, but reflection on the topic now and again never hurt anyone.
Y'all are beautiful. Every last one of you.
Red
It took me a long, long, loooooooong time to learn to love my body, and I’ll admit, we still have spats sometimes. But for the most part, we are friends. It does what I want it to do. It runs and dances and jumps and rests and loves and laughs and sings and hugs and smiles and carries. I’ve learned to love my curves. I am openly infatuated with my own muscles and will offer them up for appreciation, unsolicited, at any time, to unsuspecting bystanders. I’ve also learned to smile on the pudgy parts, the scars, and the stretch marks like an indulgent aunt on a sassy but adorable child. It was difficult, I'll admit. But so worth it.
I owe a lot of that to the folks here, so I thank you all so very much for your generous comments and encouragement.
On my bulletin board at work, and also hanging somewhere at home, I have the following that I picked up some years back. In honor of the day, I’d like to share it. When my women’s circle was still meeting, we closed every evening with it, and it always gave me chills. They are words to live by. I try to, anyway.
The Real Woman Creed
I believe that within me lies an extraordinary radiance,
and I commit to letting my light loose in the world.
I believe that the source of my power and wisdom is in the center of my being,
and I commit to acting from this place of strength.
I believe that I possess an abundance of passion and creative potential
and I commit to the expression of these gifts.
I believe that the time has come to let go of old notions and unhealthy attitudes, and I commit to re-examining what I have been told about beauty and dismiss what insults my soul.
I believe that negative thoughts and words compromise my well-being, and I commit to thinking and speaking positively about myself and others.
I believe that young women are in need of positive role models,
and I commit to being an example of authenticity and self-love.
I believe in the relationship between my well-being and the well-being of the planet, and I commit to a life of mindfulness that regards all living things as holy and worthy of my love.
I believe it is my spiritual responsibility to care for my body with respect, kindness, and compassion. I commit to balancing my life in such a way that my physical being is fully expressed and nurtured.
I believe that joy is an essential part of wellness, and I commit
to removing obstacles to joy and creating a life that is full of exuberance.
I believe that a woman who loves herself is a powerful, passionate, attractive force, and I commit, from this day forward, to loving myself deeply and extravagantly.
So that's my two bits. Ladies and gents, I invite you to share some body self-love comments here. I know there's been a similar thread, but reflection on the topic now and again never hurt anyone.
Y'all are beautiful. Every last one of you.
Red