Embracing My Jiggly Wiggly Lumpy HEALTHY Body

It’s March already! I began this post in January, trying to begin with a running start which fizzled into a crawl, meh 🙂 Many of us resolve to get back in shape, to look after our health, to shed those extra holiday, or last 5-10 pounds. I have yet again allowed my weight to creep up. It happens when I get overly stressed, overworked, and have painful or challenging experiences. My healthy habits gradually fall by the wayside. And I find myself engaged in habitual patterns of coping by eating comforting foods or too much food. My exercise routine is also usurped by the need for extra sleep or other more immediate priorities.

This last time around, where I was so trim, fit, energetic, empowered, and happy…I truly believed, this is it, I’ve finally conquered the yo-yo game. I got rid of almost all of my “fat” clothes and had faith that I was strong and free, that no matter what, I would be able to keep my life under control and my healthy habits would prevail. Well, there’s no way to predict what life may have in store and sometimes survival in itself is an accomplishment and healthy habits/weight issues are beside the point. To keep going and keep breathing, to keep a roof over your head and your sanity takes precedence.

So I’ve gained weight. Does this mean I don’t love myself or that I’m a failure? Does it help to beat me up? What if I pat myself on the back instead and acknowledge how challenging life’s been and I’m still here, sane, with a roof over my head, I survived, fluffier yes, but I didn’t give up and I made it through the tough times? And I am still healthy, just not bikini ready 😛

I was reading a criticism of the recent ad campaigns, which include women with varying body types, encouraging us to love ourselves no matter how thin or fat, young or old. The criticism was that people who are heavier don’t love themselves? And including heavier people in ads just encourages people to continue being heavy and unloving of themselves? My immediate thought was that some people are naturally more robust than others, so how can we judge people based on appearances? And this is the main thing that this limited viewpoint overlooks…in order to change anything or to be productive, healthy, and loving, we always must embrace where we are now, to love and accept ourselves now. If not, it’s difficult to feel empowered to make healthy changes. Instead, we are feeling ashamed and deficient. I don’t see how this helps, this critical view that people who are not “perfect” in every way do not love themselves?

Seeing images/characters, people, like ourselves in media, helps us feel acceptable like we belong, and is validating. I know when I was growing up I was always looking for others who were like me, to fit in somehow. I believe this is human nature, wanting to belong. Seeing someone similar to you portrayed in the mainstream is validating. We don’t all look like movie stars; we are of varying personalities and persuasions and we are all lovable.

We are all beautiful and deserving of our unconditional love as we are now. This does not mean we do not want to change and grow? And not one of us is perfect in the practice of being perfectly loving of ourselves, really? All of this obsession over minutiae, the glut of these endless, rhetorical discussions, needlessly complicates the issues. It’s really simple.

Love yourself now, love everyone else now. Keep open and aware while honoring your truth from within. Do your best. Accept and forgive, but don’t be a doormat. Allow people to be who they are, no need to manipulate and control, so you can keep focusing on being your true self. Growing and blossoming by pouring your love onto you, filling yourself until it flows out and lights up the universe. Let go of the need to classify, label, judge, and criticize. We are all one in spirit. Bodies and personalities are finite.

What really helps? Take care of your own business. There is room for us all. We don’t have to agree on everything. Many external things are beyond our immediate control, but we certainly can control what we allow to take root in our minds, hearts, and lives. Compassion and understanding go a long way…as well as limiting contact with what is harmful to us. Most of the time, it’s nothing personal when people are being unloving or abusive. When they get better, they do better. And if they can’t/aren’t trying, maybe aren’t capable and you’re getting hurt, then it’s time to cut the cord. Haters are going to hate, doesn’t mean we have to give them the time of day though. We can send them well wishes and even agape love from a safe distance.

How about we all let go of our need to be right and see things in a more loving light? Maybe next time you observe that someone’s gained a few, and you really want to make a comment about it. Pause and put yourself in their shoes for a sec. I really do like the saying from my childhood, “If you can’t say anything nice, say nothing at all.” It really works when pettiness and extra pounds creep in 🙂 so I DO say this to myself (be nice) when I exclaim to myself, I’m a manatee 🙂

Being kind never goes out of style 😀 Giving myself some extra jiggly love to be strong enough to get fit all over again. Gotta keep going!!! So much to enjoy! Maybe I won’t get as fit as I wanna and that’s okay! Not everyone is gonna be thin and ripped. Life is meant to be fun and free, not a slave to anything, especially what society says I’m supposed to be. I am worthy and loved no matter what 🙂 cellulite and all 😛 Besides manatees are kinda adorable <3