Celebrate Your Body!

What question are you answering?

Recently I went to the gym, looked in the mirror and did not see the woman I know to be me. I didn’t recognize her. I knew I was standing there, I knew it was me, but the reflection did not look like the person I was. I saw some wrinkles, especially around the eyes. My arms, once toned and well defined, now have that bit of flabbiness where my triceps and biceps used to be. My belly, although never flat, was also not the shape that I knew it once was. I stood there for a few seconds wondering where the previous me went. Then I picked up the kettle bell and got on with my workout, knowing I am not working out for a particular shape, rather I am exercising for my overall health and well being. 

Everyday many of us answer a question we did not know was being asked…..Is our body shape and size more important than our body function and health? Unfortunately, from what I see, many are focused on appearance rather than performance. 

Who do we listen to?

Now, I’m not here to shame anybody for how they view their body. There is enough body shaming that we take on from the world surrounding us. It is no wonder that we focus on aesthetics over function. Turn on the TV, no, not Netflix, the actual TV. Watch an actual TV show with commercials. What do you see? Ads getting rid of our wrinkles, ads for makeup, ads for weight loss programs and weight loss drugs. Who do we see on TV and movies (you can turn on Netflix for this)? Usually when women are portrayed they are thin and young. Where are the middle aged ladies, with a real woman’s physique? They are not there. According to annual Boxed In Study from San Diego State University around age 40 women begin to disappear from shows and movies. How can we have a positive view of ourselves if we literally do not see us reflected in our culture?

This blog is not here to talk about ageism. However, we cannot talk about women’s body shapes, sizes and functions if we don’t talk about how we view aging. To talk about how we perceive aging we have to look at media and marketing. We also have to look at how girls and women are taught to hate their bodies starting around puberty. We are taught that our bodies are here to be judged by others, to be seen as an object of desire by some, and something to be constantly criticized and critiqued by ourselves. We are told we are too fat, so we should try a certain weight loss program or drug for weight loss. We are told we have too many wrinkles, so we should try some magic cream that will vanquish the well earned laugh lines around our eyes. We are told our skin is too uneven in tone, so try some makeup to make us pretty. We are told we are too old, so get plastic surgery to recapture your youth. 

We are nothing more than dollar signs to these various companies. They do not care about us or our health. They market saying they do care. But they don’t. The basics of marketing is find something, tell people it is bad, and you know how to solve it and voila! Their life is now magically better with your product! 

Let’s celebrate!!

Together, let's combat this. Instead of focusing on the ever changing, unrealistic expectations of how we look, let's work together to celebrate how we function. Let’s celebrate what our bodies can do. Are you somebody who was pregnant and gave birth? Celebrate! You created life! Are you somebody who held somebody while they cried? Celebrate! You created comfort!. Are you somebody who completed a 5k? Celebrate! You moved your body and found accomplishment! Are you somebody who paints? Celebrate! You created art and beauty. Are you somebody who made dinner for your family? Celebrate! You created nourishment! 

When you next have that negative voice creeping in, judging your appearance, there are some tools you can use including find something to celebrate. Life’s too short to be hard on ourselves. It’s too short to not celebrate what our bodies can do. Let’s turn up the volume on our inner wisdom and turn down the harmful outside influences. 

I am celebrating being able to ride my bike this morning, I’m celebrating being able to type out this blog. I’m celebrating being able to feel the warm mug holding my tea. What are you going to celebrate today?