While I was on campus I overheard a girl who was half my size talking about how she needed to lose weight. I couldn't help but think how ridiculous it is that no matter how skinny we are, it's never quite skinny enough. We all feel pressure in some way to be smaller. It is so difficult to be completely satisfied with our bodies. I've never been very skinny, it's just not my body type, and I don't think I ever can be very skinny. I've never been one to obsess about my weight but no matter how hard I try to be satisfied with where I'm at I'm unsatisfied when I look in the mirror and I feel self-conscious when I go out. I don't consider myself overweight but yet I still feel pressure to be thinner. It's not that anyone tells me I'm fat, it's just the standard that skinny is beautiful. My husband often tells that I am beautiful just the way I am, but society tells me something different. There is such an impossible standard set for women and I feel like all of us struggle or obsess about some part of our body. Even supermodel Cindy Crawford said, "I wish I looked like Cindy Crawford." Now that we have begun December, this is the time when people most obsess about body image. Christmas brings sweets and so often we actually feel guilty, like we're breaking some law by indulging. New Year's comes around and everyone is putting goals for the new year, many of which include losing weight. So, rather than getting caught up in the hype of the season, I nominate this month as feel good about yourself month. Whoever you are, you are perfect just the way that you are. When someone compliments you, accept it and believe it. Don't stress about your weight or your looks, because being skinny does not make you any happier. It's hard, but lets find a way to drown out the voice that tells us to change. What ideas do you have about how to be satisfied with your body?
I invite you to watch this funny commercial by Special K that talks about this exact issue. Happy feel good about yourself month!
The problem is that we are bombarded with "the way we should look" through TV, radio and magazines. Its everywhere we look and, naturally, we women obsess about it because its all we ever see. For me as a huge athlete and model its ridiculous the pressure I get to stay, not only skinny, but in good shape. Sadly, since this is the atmosphere I have been surrounded with for years I find that I am not satisfied with myself unless I am skinny and in good shape. God made us sensitive, emotional creatures because it is good qualities of a good mother. But the world has used our best qualities against ourselves. Sadly, if women aren't getting the pressure from the world, they give themselves the pressure by thinking of the way they used to look. I second the vote to make this "Happy feel good about yourself Month". We need to enjoy and love ourselves! I mean how can we expect to enjoy the Holidays if all we do is obsess over our weight?! I know I for one am going to enjoy a HUGE, FATTY Christmas dinner!! :)
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