Weekend Kindness

Love Your Body

Posted Thursday, February 28th, 2008 and visited 327 times, 1 so far today
by Colleen

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lyb_small_logo.JPG February 24 through March 1 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Month. Typically this is frame around a “Love Your Body” week (or month) on most college campuses and communities! Here, we’ve been loving our bodies all month long. It’s been truly a great month of educational opportunities and empowerment to really celebrate the body you have and not critique it for it’s faults.

Yesterday, I had the honor of listening to four women from outside the United States. A woman from Sudan, a woman from India, one from Mexico, and one from Bocstand heritage. Each woman had such a beautiful perspective of beauty in their culture. Many woman brought pictures of their children, mothers and friends. When asked the question, “what do you love about your body”, not one mentioned a physical characteristic, but gave thanks to having a healthy body, all their limbs and to have not be taken over by illness. How cool!

At another program, we had the privileged to hear the inter working of a college student who is recovered from high school bulimia. I’ll definitely give her book a plug because she was really a neat person. She open up to our group about the disorder, which is so helpful to someone who works with college-aged women who struggle a lifetime with this disorder.

As February comes to a close we can reflect upon all the great posts that have been written on love and relationship I wanted to add this dimension to the conversation - Love Your Body. If you struggle with loving your body I’ll leave you with a few practical ways to improve your outlook (taken from NEDA):
5. Appreciate all that your body can do. Every day your body carries you closer to your dreams. Celebrate all of the amazing things your body does for you –running, dancing, breathing, laughing, dreaming, etc.

4. Look at yourself as a whole person. When you see yourself in a mirror or in your mind, choose not to focus on specific body parts. See yourself as you want others to see you — as a whole person.

3. Become a critical viewer of social and media messages.

2. Wear clothes that are comfortable and that make you feel good about your body. Work with your body, not against it.

1. Accept yourself - accept your body. Celebrate yourself - celebrate your body!


Colleen is a God-following, woman, fiancée, (soon-to-be) step-mom, daughter, aunt, sister, niece, athlete who eats only fish (and recently chicken) but loves anything sweet!
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6 Responses to “Love Your Body”

  1. MyAvatars 0.2 AG Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 10:17 am Subscribed to Comments

    I have to say, my positive body-image went way up when I first got married. Why? Because someone I knew had value decided my body had value.

    So, why can’t we decide that if God (who has value) decided to create us the way he did and thinks we’re a masterpiece, that we have value?

    AG’s last blog post..Growing Pains

  2. MyAvatars 0.2 Claudia Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 11:27 am

    Colleen and AG, this reminds me of the words to the David Crowder song “Everything Glorious”

    You make everything glorious

    And I am Yours

    What does that make me?

    Thank you for the reminder that we are not just our bodies. We are each a whole person with wonderful gifts and talents that have more to do with our minds than our bodies.

    Claudia’s last blog post..Loving Sunshine

  3. MyAvatars 0.2 AG Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 11:37 am Subscribed to Comments

    I love the phrase “we are not just our bodies.”

    AG’s last blog post..Growing Pains

  4. MyAvatars 0.2 Mrs. Brigham Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

    This is an excellent post, and I must thank you for writing it. In my “former life” I was a makeup artist, model, and unfortunately, also someone who had *huge* issues with body image and food. A lot of the experiences I had during that time in my life, and many things I witnessed, have had an immense impact on me and also how I am raising my daughter. We truly are so much more than just our bodies.

    Mrs. Brigham’s last blog post..Why I Am A Lactivist

  5. MyAvatars 0.2 AG Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 12:28 pm Subscribed to Comments

    Mrs. Brigham, so glad to hear about how you have been changed.  Isn’t it freeing to love the body God created for you instead of hating it?

    AG’s last blog post..Growing Pains

  6. MyAvatars 0.2 Colleen Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 12:51 pm

    AG you have an interesting point about your image going up after marriage.  Some of the women on the panel also communicated that same message.  It was also interesting hearing how big “beauty” influences those countries were arranged marriages still exist.Thanks Claudia for reminding me of this song and lyrics.Mrs. Brigham, thank you for sharing your story.  Your daughter is so lucky to have you influencing her in a positive way!  It’s so difficult being a “kid” these days with all the potential influence!Thank you all for posting comments!

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