The Body Love Reclaim
To all the beautiful women out there, who don’t think they are. I see you.
When you walk past the mirror and feel small. When you look at parts of yourself and feel shame. When you compare yourself to other women or even to the younger, fitter version or you. Perhaps the days before children or work took over your life. I know you see someone different. Someone who needs altering. With clothes strategically hiding parts you’d like to change. Parts you feel have changed, in ways you never agreed to.
I know you may think sometimes. “What happened to me?” As you used to see someone else. Someone more toned and well rested. Someone with the energy (and time) to spend on herself. Someone who chose beauty over sensible, lace over cotton and bright over black. Someone with more passion and more sparkle.
But hold on. Come back and have another look. What about the parts you do like? If there’s areas you’d like to change, that’s ok. There’s no wrong in wanting to be the best version of you. But the quickest path there requires honouring where you are now, how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved.
Come have another look. But this time look through the eyes of someone who loves you. Someone who admires you. Someone who holds no judgement. Maybe your partner or a close friend. What would they be saying? What words would they be using?
They would be telling you something like this:
“Your body is beautiful! Your body is powerful. And your body should be celebrated”
All the imperfections you see are a result of choosing the wrong lense to look through. It’s not your fault. Our culture has crafted ways to blur our vision of what true beauty looks like and it truly looks like you.
It looks like the shape of your breasts and the curves of your hips. It looks like your round behind and how it swings from side to side as you walk. It looks like all of these beautiful elements of you and how they have the power to accelerate heart beats and bring a man (or woman) to their knees.
It looks like your beautiful eyes and how they can entice with just one glance but also offer compassion to heavy hearts. And your gorgeous smile and the way it can be playfully suggestive but also lift others emotions. It looks like your soft sweet lips. The way they can create an electric energy of love and desire when pressed against another.
It looks like the remarkable strength of your core. Whether it’s been reshaped to accommodate a growing life or just times of discomfort or pain. It still remains strong and centred, holding you up to all that you need to be. It looks like the length of your legs and how they lead to and come together at the centre of all that is pleasure and life. It looks like your loving arms. And the way they can wrap around another like a warm blanket and make them feel safe, secure and completely adored.
And to the mama bears, beauty also looks like you. Your body has grown and housed a human (or three) and continues to nurture, support and care for them unconditionally. Whether your babies have come from within you or you’ve just taken them under your wing, your body is a masterpiece.
To all women; “Your body is beautiful. Your body is powerful. Your body needs to be celebrated.”
If there are parts you want to improve (not change), make a commitment to do that in a way that strengthens and honors your body and your spirit. Step out from any shame you have felt and step into love, acceptance and joy. Reconnect with the sensual being that wants to come forward. Hold your head held high like the spectacular goddess that you are and watch how the universe unfolds before you. As you are her and she is you. And you are both just breathtaking!