Talking About Body Image

I found an awesome blog post at http://hopeave.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/how-to-talk-to-your-daughter-about-her-body/ about talking to your daughter about her body. It really inspired me. I think the information was so good and SHOULD/COULD be applied to everyone. Men and women, boys and girls, family members, friends, and strangers. I already make a point about not commenting on someones weight because you never know how those comments are feedings a body image issue or cultivating one. But I am so grateful for the blog I recently found for giving me even more ideas. Here is a list I compiled from her blog and from my own thoughts about how I think we should talk or should not talk to everyone about weight and body.

• don’t talk to a person about their body, except in an educational way
• Don’t say anything if someone lost weight. Don’t say anything if someone gained weight.
• If you think someones body looks amazing, don’t say that. Here are some things you can say instead:
• “You look so healthy!”
• “You’re looking so strong.”
• “I can see how happy you are – you’re glowing.”
• Better yet, compliment them on something that has nothing to do with their body.
• Don’t comment on other people's bodies either. Not a single comment, not a nice one or a mean one.
• Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others.
• Don’t talk about how much you hate your body, or talk about your new diet. Buy healthy food. Cook healthy meals. But don’t say “I’m not eating carbs right now.” If we didn't talk like this we wouldn't cultivate the shame over what we eat. Shame about what we eat leads to shame about yourself.
• Encourage people to run because it makes them feel less stressed. Encourage people to climb mountains because there is nowhere better to explore your spirituality than the peak of the universe. Encourage people to surf, or rock climb, or mountain bike because it scares them and that’s a good thing sometimes.
• Remind people that the best thing they can do with their body is to use it to mobilize their beautiful soul.

If you did just three of the things on this list religiously imagine how the world would change. I think it would shift us from looking through body conscious eyes to soul conscious eyes.

You are BEAUTIFUL! Not becuase of the size of the jeans or the tone of your muscles but because you are YOU!