body shaming is bullshit

How many women have gotten ready for the day, looked in the mirror, and thought, "Ugh. My hair is too straight." "My thighs are too big." "My boobs are too small." "My tummy is too squishy." "I have no ass." "I was the inspiration for 'Baby Got Back'." "My legs are too skinny". I am quite sure most women have gone to battle with the mirror a time or 2 and barely made it out unscathed. And how many times have we left our homes feeling like something that just crawled out of a slimy swamp only to arrive at our planned destination and have a friend compliment us and we go from feeling like the Loch Ness Monster to feeling like a runway model. I know I have been guilty of this. But why do we do this? Why do we look to others for affirmation?

Body shaming has become an epidemic in our society. For ALL shapes and sizes. If a woman is petite in nature she is too skinny and looks like a boy. If a woman has curves she is fat and must not take care of herself. If she is dedicated to fitness she is obsessed and doesn't know how to enjoy real food. Or worse. She is not feminine. It's exhausting and yet we don't stop thumbing through magazines and our Pinterest boards are full of the latest workouts and fashion trends. There is nothing wrong with any of those things. Please don't misunderstand me. I love fashion, I love working out, and I love a good glass of Cabernet and the latest issue of Vogue. I just think we need to do some soul work and ask ourselves why we are doing these things. Does it make our heart sing or are we tirelessly trying to meet society's standards for beauty? 

We talk about our pant sizes like we are quoting Scripture. I know I do it. When I speak with other women about my weight loss journey and they ask how much I have lost I say, "Well I went from a size 16 to a size 10". I am done with that shit. From now on I will say, "I went from being a size sexy to a size sexy". We as women must start a new movement. We must start loving ourselves. Really loving ourselves. Why? Because we are worthy. SO worthy. We are beautiful. SO beautiful. We are sexy. SO sexy. We are strong. SO strong. Why? Because we are women and we are Divine. Our bodies and weight do not make us sexy. The heart that lies within those bodies is what makes us sexy. Let us rid ourselves from the negativity of body shaming and instead let us #bodysurrender. Let us stop fighting the need for perfection and surrender to our beauty. Let us surrender to our curves. Let us surrender to our petite physique. Let us surrender to our muscular strength. Let us surrender to our light. Let us surrender to our shadow. Let us surrender to caring for our bodies and let us treat them like glorious temples. Let us be ever mindful of what we fill them with. Let us surrender to supporting each other as women and as individuals. And finally, let us surrender to the unparalleled honor of being a perfectly imperfect woman. Our daughters need this kind of woman. Our sons need this kind of woman. Our partners need this kind of woman. Our mother's need this kind of woman. Our soul's need this kind of woman. It is this woman that will call forth the love that resides in each one of our souls. It is this love that will change the world. And most importantly it will change the woman. Much love gorgeous goddesses!

***This picture was taken 5 minutes ago. I am surrendering to my squishy tummy (and the janky messy room). I love my tummy. This tummy housed my baby for 9 months. Those hips brought that baby into this world. And on the days that I struggle with shaming myself (because I am sure I will still have those days) I will let those feelings wash over me like rain and take with it the feelings of self doubt and what will be left in its place is Divine love and only love. 

xo,

M