I am sitting here 10 pounds heavier than I was at the beginning of COVID. Where I am in my own journey is learning to accept that lovingly and not making my body a problem in any way. 

I'm naming this because I’ve been deep down that hole. 

We are coming up on International Women's Day, and I feel my hands shaking a little bit thinking about this pattern I see in myself, and in many women, to feel more or less valuable based on how we look. 

I want to speak to those of you who have also experienced some level of body shame from others or from yourself. 

We can have body shame about anything. It can be about our weight. It can be about our hair. It can be about our skin. 

Body shame is something that often starts from the outside. We get shamed by society and we internalize it. In an attempt to protect ourselves, we can begin to perpetuate the shame, the blame and the stories in order to have more control and be able to be accepted by others. 

We're not born into body shame. 

We learn it. 

We learn it from others and then we use those lies to break ourselves down from the inside out. So, what can you do? 

You can make choices about the types of thoughts you want to encourage in yourself. You can make choices around what you expose yourself to. You can choose to question these thoughts. You can choose not to spread them.  

These stories aren't yours. Stop telling them.

Please share this with a woman who could benefit from hearing it. Share this with a man who could benefit from hearing it. Share it with anybody of any gender identity who could use a little more love for themselves today.

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