"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." - Marilyn Monroe
You know, lately I've had the opportunity of talking with and getting to know some girls who have dealt with eating disorders. And I have heard so many girls talk about dieting, weight, and their bodies to start to see a common thread, or the root of so many struggles - a fear of our bodies.
It sounds like a strange concept. But when we get to the age of growing up, our bodies get to be very unpredictable. Life begins to follow a similar pattern. But when you forget that your body is absolutely unique and works differently than anyone else's, or your ideal body is something much different than your own, sometimes your body can feel out-of-control. Add in celebrity photos, gossip, and life drama, and suddenly your body is a beast that needs to be tamed.
Diets, in my view, while sometimes seemingly "healthy" or "normal," are often a way to keep our body in check, because we're scared of what might happen otherwise. What if we let go, and suddenly gain 25 pounds? It reminds me of this commercial I saw last week for face care with the slogan, "Discipline your skin." That's so often how we approach caring for our bodies, like they need to be kept in check. Now, that's just fine for the model in the commercial - she can get paid to discipline her body. But when it's your own life, real life, it's not so fun.
It can be hard to believe, but your body does not need to be controlled, or in any way feared or punished. In that way, we are no different from each other - every body needs to be cared for and has the ability to know what it needs. Take good care of you.
