This morning I planned on taking a quick hot shower to get ready for 6:30 AM yoga. Before I was pregnant, working out before my family woke up was my daily ritual. Some people have coffee, I have yoga.
This morning was a little different. I looked down and saw my growing belly and stood there… for 20 minutes in the hot water just staring at it. By the time I got out of the shower, I had lost track of time and missed class.
My husband was just waking up and I looked at him and said, “look how big I am and I’m only 15 weeks. What am I going to do until July?” Bless his heart, he just looked at me and you could tell he was thinking, oh… blank. Blank as in nothing was going through his head. Of course I wasn’t mad at him, what was he suppose to say? Plus, he’s not a morning person and woke up to my complaining.
Bless the women in this world who LOVE being pregnant, who feel empowered, beautiful, and glowing. They are wonderful creatures! Why can’t I feel that way? Why am I self-concision, uncomfortable, and ungrateful for growing horizontally. My 4’11 frame has proven in the past to be able to a handle a 20 pound weight gain within 9 months and still live.
I needed help, so I did what any educated, wise, and resourceful millennial would do. I searched “positive body image” on YouTube and discovered Lindsay Kite’s TED Talk entitled, “Body Positivity or Body Obsession? Learning to See More and Be More” It was a game changer, a pivot point, paradigm/ perspective change I needed to realize why I am feeling the way I feel.
The biggest takeaways were:
- Women are valued more than bodies to be viewed- we have talents, contributions, and worth that has nothing to do with the way we look.
- Positive body image isn’t about believing your body only looks good but rather it is good- it is strong, it is capable, and it can be an incredible instrument for good.
- Women need to see and acknowledge the shame that comes along with body fixation. If you’re constantly thinking about the way you look to other people, you’re falling into the trap of “self objectification.”
Research shows that those who participate in self objectification score lower on academic tests, perform lower in athletic competitions, and have lower self-esteem.
4. Women who define themselves by the way they look grow increasingly dissatisfied as they age. By redefining health in ways that has nothing to do with appearance and everything to do with measures of health, women can live fuller lives.
Think skinny but with heart problems from malnutrition or muscular but with heart problems because of steroids.
5. Your body is more than an ornament. It is more, it is more than the way it looks like, it is more. YOU are more.
May we all realize we are beautiful not for the way we look but who we are in the inside. May we embrace our changing figures and grow stronger everyday. May our children know they are more than their figure, that they are of great worth.
With love and positive vibes your way,
Kim Carli