An Interesting Conversation...

...Between me and Preston

Columbus was delightfully warm last week.

I put on some summer clothes and realized I was carrying a little winter weight. 

I said as much to Preston and Austin this past weekend when we went to our Lake House in Fairport Harbor.

Preston remarked, "Do you hear how Mummy is talking? This is a good example of how she could be grateful for the body she has." Or words to that effect.

I don't believe that one word I said was horrible, not about the situation or myself. 

It got me thinking. Why does wanting to lose weight to feel better about myself, and to feel more vibrant, have a negative connotation?

Loving the body I'm in means being kind to her and accepting her for who she is.

Losing weight isn't a solution, by itself, to loving myself more. In other words, weight isn't the ultimate indicator of my well-being. I'm clear about that fact.

Loving my body also means taking care of her in ways that are meaningful to me. In this case, doing a little spring-cleaning and dropping a few pounds. Not because society tells me I need to be thin to be loved, but because I desire to feel at my best. I think the body positivity movement is wonderful and often only tells half of the story. 

I responded to Preston, knowing that Austin was watching and listening."I feel kindness and gratitude towards this body of mine and that's exactly why I want to lose some weight." 

Here's to cheering on our desires when they are in alignment with our highest selves and not born out of faulty thinking or conditioning.

That's why continuing to do our work in safe spaces matters.

With Love,

Sarah x

p.s. If a woman tells you she wants to lose weight, maybe you could believe her and say, "Cool," rather than undermining her by saying, "No, you look great." Maybe that would help us all feel more full of ourselves.