You are a WHOLE person

See them there wrinkles coming, See the imperfections in my skin tone...are my eyebrows too bushy..can you even tell I have them??... I zoomed in on noticing these things after I got target marketed for wrinkle cream and botox when I turned 40...

Some of you know my back story- but at age 14 I went into a full-blown eating disorder – started with anorexia and then progressed into basically EVERY form of disordered eating.  My weight was at a low of 89 pounds and a high of 189 pounds.  At all of those weights I thought I was fat.  Yes, at even 89 pounds I thought I needed to lose more.  So, needless to say, the lens I have on myself is whack.  I have learned what I see in the mirror can’t be trusted and I try to not spend too much time analyzing it or I go into a tailspin of NOT GOOD.

You don’t have to have my story to struggle with body image.  Media has done a number on us putting an unrealistic and a not even possible pressure of how to look.  I could rant for HOURS on this one but that can be another post.....

If anyone else struggles with this I wanted to share something that is SUPER HELPFUL for me and hopefully helpful to you too!

I try to LOOK AT MY WHOLE SELF.  Whether it is my face or my body.  I don't allow myself to spend time zooming in on those spots that I am critical about. I look at my WHOLE face.  When doing the check of my body, I don’t zoom in on the skin that isn’t oh so smooth or that my butt looks lumpy in those pants..or...or..or..or.  If I zoom out and see my WHOLE BODY I feel much more comfortable in my skin and I skip the critical talk.

Our bodies are a gift to us, our home we reside in and we are much better off if we care for them and respect them.  Nit picking parts of us and wishing it were different only distracts us from LIVING LIFE.  It robs our mental space and distracts us to actually care for ourselves. 

People are not looking at us that closely.  They don’t know the spots we zoom in on and also zoom in on them.  I am sure they are not having the same thoughts that we are.  The only way someone might look more closely at us is if they are in a place of being hyper critical of themselves and are seeking for affirmation of their bodies.   So give them that gift and show them it is possible to be okay with your whole self.

I read recently that when we have legs that work we have the luxury to be critical of them.  That hit home.  When I start to go down a rabbit hole of being not so nice -I try to flip it and say “thank you God for a body that works.  Help me care for this home like the gift that it is.” 

In case any of you need to hear this .. YOU ARE A WHOLE PERSON.  Care for yourself like a whole person.  Move and care for body like a WHOLE PERSON.