Or do I?
Okay, so I had this plan to write something about body image and my past anxieties about it but I'm out of time. Ready to hit the road and head to Cali for some sun, sand and surf...
Since I promised a beach challenge I will have to spew out something quickly.
I have a history of disliking, no, loathing my body. I could tell stories about not wearing shorts in the summer all through junior high and high school, breaking out into hives before going to the beach, and oh so much more.
But the bottom line is this: I'm learning that I seriously need to change.
HOW LAME am I to spend ONE second on this kind of thinking. How unfortunate that I spent the first half hour at the pool last week glued to my towel because I was too self conscious to move around, worried about the cottage cheese and spider veins on my thighs. How very sad that I decided a few aesthetic criterion was the deciding factor on how I spent my time. How I felt about myself as a person. How I related to others.
DU-UMB!!!!! Dumb, because I'm better than that. This body is capable of so much. It has immense potential. Substantial, beautiful potential. So it should play, serve, love, wear a swimsuit and frolic on the beach, because it is able and in this way, WAY closer to perfect than imperfect. (right?).
(While at the pool, I finally came to this conclusion and got up the guts to jump off the diving board, and PLAY. It was interesting how my self image improved just by doing that).
MY WW CHALLENGE: THE BEACH MANTRA
I will not spend ONE SINGLE second in berating my "imperfect" figure. I will not waste precious moments that can be used to develop relationships with loved ones by focusing too much on myself. I will get wet, and not worry about how my suit is going to stick to my body. I will play horse shoes, or volleyball or frisbee or explore sea animals with my kids. I will journal about this everyday and update when I get back.
I will not spend ONE SINGLE second in berating my "imperfect" figure. I will not waste precious moments that can be used to develop relationships with loved ones by focusing too much on myself. I will get wet, and not worry about how my suit is going to stick to my body. I will play horse shoes, or volleyball or frisbee or explore sea animals with my kids. I will journal about this everyday and update when I get back.
I don't have time to proofread, I'm leaving in a matter of minutes...BUT I had to put something down.
I'm going to the beach and sleep by the ocean, and play music and card games by the fireside, it's a hard life, but someone's got to do it!
Toodles.
I'm going to the beach and sleep by the ocean, and play music and card games by the fireside, it's a hard life, but someone's got to do it!
Toodles.
9 comments:
Good for you! What a great post I second the idea to get out there and have fun no matter what. It's not an easy thing to just completely ignore our personal thoughts about our self image, but we need to do it
Have fun, I wish i was there with you.
I have had the same outlook on my body for years! Good for you to look past it all and enjoy it! I need to do the same thing!
Have a great trip!
Amen to that I want to be YOU!!! when I grow up :)
Awesome Melissa! I have a feeling this will be your best carp trip ever!
Melissa, You ROCK!!! I totally agree with your mantra and I need to inscribe it on my swim suit as well! There is always going to be someone better looking in a swim suit - but you totally have it right. We should just be so thankful that we have bodies that function so highly. And then focus on having fun and loving our family - creating memories! You're fabulous!!!
I have found that as long as the suit I am wearing isn't too revealing, I should just suck it up and have fun. You can't hide everything!
I hope you have a blast! Go Beach!
Oh I TOTALLY know how you feel!! I hate getting into a swimsuit! Ugh! I"m not quite there at getting over how I feel about my bod! Maybe you can rub off on me a bit? =) And I"m going to Cali too! I'll be there tomorrow. Too bad we didn't talk about it sooner. I wonder if we are going to the same place! Love ya!
Brit
Good for you! Go and enjoy yourself! You are probably back by now, so if you are - I hope you had a great time! You look absolutely great! I wish that I looked as half as good as you!
I love your thoughts, but if you ask me, you do have the perfect body! I think you don't give yourself enough credit. I'm glad to see you are going to try. I hope you guys had a blast. I can't wait to see photos and hear stories!
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