This was priceless! I struggle with my body that does not feel like me. Being slender all my life and then gaining weight during my fifties has been a challenge as I stubbornly refuse to accept how things are.
I'm glad you found some commiseration here! Midlife brings so many changes for us women, and I feel like we straddle this line of battling and accepting. For me, it's been an opportunity to reassess my values, especially around health, but darn if it's not a gigantic pain at times.
Hi Kristi, I'm coming to believe that appreciating our bodies no matter it's size or shape is important. I tend to be very critical of mine - not because of weight but because I can't do what I used to as easily or at all. I'm trying to turn that around and appreciate what I can and do do.
Yes, Janice! I know we're in different phases of our lives, but I believe cultivating more appreciation, even in small ways, opens us up to greater joy and satisfaction. You're definitely one of the models I look to for guidance on navigating this thing called aging.
This makes me so happy to read Kristi! And also it feels timely as I’m having a hard time with my own body image at the moment, so a reminder about acceptance feels timely and helpful.
I didn't mention you directly, but you were one of the experts I referenced here. You've been one of my models on this journey, and I'm glad I could help remind you about the value of acceptance. We need to do a Zoom catchup soon!
Hi Kristi, what a great story of discovering acceptance! I’m curious about ““We’re aiming for body neutrality not body positivity,” my intuitive eating-certified therapist reassured me in those early months.” Did your therapist feel that positivity was too big a step to aim for at first?
Yes, that is correct. I don't want to put words in her mouth, but what I took away from that conversation was that body positivity wasn't even the goal to strive for. In many circles, body positivity as a concept has such a negative connotation, but it also just feels so foreign to most women that it can create outright dismissal. That's the power of a more gradual approach to acceptance without the pressure of thinking we have to feel that way all the time.
This was priceless! I struggle with my body that does not feel like me. Being slender all my life and then gaining weight during my fifties has been a challenge as I stubbornly refuse to accept how things are.
I'm glad you found some commiseration here! Midlife brings so many changes for us women, and I feel like we straddle this line of battling and accepting. For me, it's been an opportunity to reassess my values, especially around health, but darn if it's not a gigantic pain at times.
Hi Kristi, I'm coming to believe that appreciating our bodies no matter it's size or shape is important. I tend to be very critical of mine - not because of weight but because I can't do what I used to as easily or at all. I'm trying to turn that around and appreciate what I can and do do.
Yes, Janice! I know we're in different phases of our lives, but I believe cultivating more appreciation, even in small ways, opens us up to greater joy and satisfaction. You're definitely one of the models I look to for guidance on navigating this thing called aging.
This makes me so happy to read Kristi! And also it feels timely as I’m having a hard time with my own body image at the moment, so a reminder about acceptance feels timely and helpful.
I didn't mention you directly, but you were one of the experts I referenced here. You've been one of my models on this journey, and I'm glad I could help remind you about the value of acceptance. We need to do a Zoom catchup soon!
You’re too kind. And yes a catch up would be lovely ☺️
Hi Kristi, what a great story of discovering acceptance! I’m curious about ““We’re aiming for body neutrality not body positivity,” my intuitive eating-certified therapist reassured me in those early months.” Did your therapist feel that positivity was too big a step to aim for at first?
Yes, that is correct. I don't want to put words in her mouth, but what I took away from that conversation was that body positivity wasn't even the goal to strive for. In many circles, body positivity as a concept has such a negative connotation, but it also just feels so foreign to most women that it can create outright dismissal. That's the power of a more gradual approach to acceptance without the pressure of thinking we have to feel that way all the time.