For me, 2017 started a little differently than previous years. Somewhere between 2016’s Thanksgiving feast and Christmas dinner, I had stepped on a scale for the first time since high school. I remember staring at that horrid result in disbelief.
Suddenly I was no longer the petite girl I was used to being. Suddenly my mind was seeing a twisted reflection every time I looked in the mirror. So, like most other women who want to feel better about themselves in a new year, my New Year’s resolution was to lose 20 pounds.
I started out by eating less. I downloaded every fitness app I could find. I rolled out my yoga mat and put on my sports bra within 10 minutes of waking up in the morning. I began using a self-deprecating rhetoric and my friends would try to distract me from myself but I couldn’t shake those awful numbers.
One night, I was laying in my bed scrolling deep into the explore section of Insta. Suddenly, a bright mess of cotton-candy, unicorn hair caught my attention. I ended up watching this woman dancing in her bra and underwear. She was radiant and I couldn’t stop watching her. I wanted whatever was making her so happy and self-confident that she would post this for the world to see. Her name is Megan and her username is bodyposipanda.
After seeing the beautiful body positive movement that Megan was a part of, I became more interested in learning how to love my own body. I began by five minutes of one-on-one time with myself; standing in front of the mirror and telling myself how beautiful I am. I believe it a little bit more every day.
I loaded my Pinterest fitness board with body positive images and quotes. I realized that a positive self-image did not correspond to a number on a scale. And I went to see the documentary “Embrace”.
This documentary struck a chord deep within me. It gave me a new perspective to hold about my own body as well as a new lens for viewing others around me.
Our bodies are beautiful and they were made for movement and for living life to the fullest.
My body was not made to be judged.
And yours wasn’t either.