One of the things that has really helped me have a healthier body image and relationship with food has been stepping outside myself and focusing on the needs of my community. When youre focused on the system youre a part of, you realize how insignificant your thighs are, you know? Just as it was impossible for me to jump immediately from inactivity to 30 minutes of exercise a day, just as I needed to take small steps to create the habits and thinking that supports regular physical activity, so too did I need to make small changes in my thinking and build on them over time. First I started trying to think nicer things about other women. I was conditioned to compare myself to other women - and in comparisons there is always a winner and a loser. If I won the comparison, I felt better about myself - but I also felt superior to the other woman. If I was the loser of the comparison, I felt bad about myself - and envious of the other woman. Superiority or envy. Those are the emotions our culture conditions us to feel about other women. This breeds anger, divisiveness, distrust. I couldnt change anyone else, but I could change myself. So I started noticing lovely things about other women - I had to make a conscious effort. And I appreciated them for being lovely. Thats it. I consciously appreciated other women. And over time, appreciating other women helped me to appreciate myself more. Which led to a broader perspective, which allowed me to really see other people, and the community around me, and the ways I fit in. And I became less and less concerned with my flaws, and more concerned with my strengths and how I could use them to support my community. Creating my blog and this page were one of the fruits of this effort to consciously expand my awareness to the world around me. So, my challenge for you this week is to seek out the beauty in others, and dont compare yourself. Just appreciate the beauty in others. Well call it the 7 Day Consciousness Reboot.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 16:57:39 +0000
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