Love Your Body
Are you like almost every human on this earth, do you kind of hate your body? What has happened to us, how did we become this way? It probably all started with the advertisement industries who want to sell us things to make our bodies look better. In order to want to buy these things, we have to believe that our bodies are lacking something to begin with that we can only fix by buying something.
Women, in particular, are the targets of these industries. We are told that if we buy a certain make-up our naturally flawed skin will look better. We are told that if we wear particular clothing, our ugly bodies will look beautiful. We are told that our skin will improve if we use expensive creams and lotions.
The basis of all this selling is that naturally, we are not beautiful. I am a victim of this just like everyone else. But I want to change that. I think I look awful without make-up and nice clothes and my hair properly done. I honestly feel like I look pretty bad when I wake up in the morning.
But the truth is, we are animals. Cats and dogs don’t put on special clothes and make-up to get ready for the day and we think they are beautiful just the way they are. Men, even, don’t wear make-up, don’t do much with their hair, and hardly care what they wear. Men are a lot more satisfied with their looks naturally than most women.
My body is currently changing because I’m losing weight. But in an ideal world, I would love the way it looks now, not just how it will look when I get to my weight loss goal. Because let’s face it, once I get to that goal I won’t be satisfied with my body anyways. We are trained to not love our bodies and this needs to change.
I’ve always hated my thighs, I stopped wearing shorts in high-school and have not worn them ever since because I got it in my head that it was not attractive for me to show my thighs. That is insane. I hate the fat dangling on my arms so I avoid wearing sleeveless shirts. That is also ridiculous.
I have a little bit of a belly. There is nothing wrong with that. My body works, all my parts are working. I should be very thankful and happy about that. But that is never enough. I want to look like a supermodel and even she is not happy with her body. The irony of this situation is that even those that have a traditionally good looking body do not like their bodies either. No one likes their body, especially women.
It really is only very recently that being very thin is considered ideal. In the fifties, voluptuous women were adored. Now it is only considered beautiful if you are skinny. I don’t want to be ultra-thin or skinny. I like having curves and I think curvaceous women are beautiful. In truth, every body type has its own beauty.
We should not let these industries that are trying to sell us stuff to rule over our minds. In the abstract sense, I know theoretically that I’m beautiful. But in the practical sense and in actuality I don’t feel that way. Even when I was at my thinnest I did not love my body. I would kill for that body now.
So how do I love my body?
I like to think of my body as a temple, it is my tool to experience life with. Even all its curves and edges are beautiful. There is no perfect body, we are all flawed and we focus on our flaws. Why not focus on the beauty of our bodies.
I’ve always liked my face better than the rest of my body. But now I’ve noticed that it’s starting to wrinkle and sag a bit like the rest of me. So what? I’ve lived a life, and it is starting to show on my face. Perhaps I should see this as a good thing.
As for my thighs, I’ve decided to try to wear shorts this summer and sleeveless shirts for that matter. I am OK, and there is no need for me to try to hide parts of my body because I don’t think they are not perfect. I am not a blow-up doll, I have human flaws, just like everyone else.
I’m still fatter than I want to be, but if I don’t start loving my body now, there is no chance I will love it when it is thin enough for my satisfaction. It’s important that people of all sizes and shapes and disabilities and color love their bodies.
Even the idea of loving my body makes me feel this freedom that I have never felt before. Almost like I can run, and dance and even fly. I feel like I can really live if I love myself and my body.
You can too. Just tell yourself you love your body and eventually you will believe it.
nina