Looking at this weeks prompts for Wellness Wednesday one stood out to me, “Why I love my body“, good question I thought, it left me asking myself “do I love my body?” and if the answer is NO, then why not? If the answer is YES, then why do I? Now as you know (just by the name of my website), I am a reflective person, and this weeks topic left me doing some serious reflecting! (Is that a good thing? Do I want to sit and reflect on how I feel about my body? Would you?)
If you are unsure what ‘Wellness Wednesday’ is click here. Now stop for a moment, and think, how do you feel about your body? Could you answer this question without being hard on yourself? I am seriously asking you, yes you reading this, “Do YOU like your body?” And “What do you like about it?” Here’s a peaceful image, just take a moment and reflect . . .
My initial response is ‘yes’ I do love my body, it’s not a YES!!!!! But it is a yes, and I guess in some ways my answer doesn’t surprise me, yet in other ways it does, let me explain. I think at 38 I am more comfortable in my own skin than ever before, I guess you could say I’ve had a love/hate relationship with my body since I was a child. I am sure many of you will relate.
Image of Mackenzie
For me though my true body image issues started when I miscarried our first, and then second pregnancy, I felt like my body had failed me, that it had failed my mind, my soul, my maternal desires, everything in my body ached for a child and yet when we were at the hospital, my unborn baby bleeding out of my body I felt completely betrayed by my body. After the second miscarriage I stopped ovulating and I felt even more betrayed and let down.
My point is there have been times where I haven’t loved my body, times where I felt my body had completely betrayed me and let me down, I had a third miscarriage, I had trouble breastfeeding all my children, and I had heart problems with my third pregnancy which ultimately led to me having to give birth via a c-section with my son, these were all things I felt guilty about, that I was mad at my body about. But I guess like with most situations in life you can’t see them as only black and white.
Whatever issues you have with your body, weight, height, wrinkles, scars, stretch marks, acne, grey hair, we need to realise that these individual elements we don’t like are not who we are as a whole. We are also our smile, the way our eyes light up, we are our curves, the cute little dimple on our cheek, the scattering of freckles across our nose, our curvaceous butt, our sexy legs, we are that cute little beauty spot, or that lone freckle on our toe. We are long eyelashes, a swish of our hair, we are a map, a story, a life lived, a life we are still living. Be proud, love your body, instead of naming the things you don’t like, name those you do!
A 43 year old girlfriend of mine admitted that on a recent overseas trip she was walking around the pool in her swimsuit and thought to herself, “yep, I’ve still got a really nice butt”! Good on her!
Sometimes life doesn’t go according to our plans, we feel like we have let ourselves down, perhaps feel our bodies have betrayed us, but we are here, we are strong, we are battlers, we are beautiful and we are entitled to love our bodies, and to be proud of how awesome we are!
Thanks for joining me, love Mackenzie xx
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18 comments
Great post! Exercise and focusing on doing something I couldn’t do the day before keeps me focused. And coincidentally, at 45 I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been. It IS possible.
great attitude! You are so right the more we push ourselves the more we achieve, each day is a step forward.
It gets better. At 42, I have never felt (and looked) better. Thanks to the blog, I even get paid for the occasional modelling job! The thing is, just like you I was always beating myself up about my weight, breastfeeding, and so on, and so forth…Well, somehow after 40 I started to relax. Great post, Mac!
It has been fantastic hearing such positive comments from women in their 40’s, proves us ladies are unstoppable!
Tough one, Mackenzie. My immediate answer would be, ‘No, I don’t love my body’. I’ve always, ALWAYS, had issues with my weight. Like you, I’ve always been a chubby kid. I’ve never been skinny, ‘sexy’, or within the normal weight range compared to my peers. However, with the things you wrote about, you reminded me of my body’s gifts. I love my body for giving me a wonderful child (although, it has also failed me = miscarriage and infertility). I love my body too for still allowing me to exercise, no matter how ‘easy’ it may be compared to what others can do. I have a lot to do still and I thank my body for allowing me to still be capable. 🙂
I am glad I could help you see the amazing gifts you body has given you, I hope it helps you to move forward and start seeing yourself and your body as beautiful and sexy! Thank you so much for your comment, and for being so honest and open.
Beautiful post. I totally understand feeling like your body has betrayed you, been there. You should be proud of everything your body has done. And you’re going to find as you enter your 40s you’ll love your body even more. It’s possible. Good for your girlfriend strutting her stuff and feeling good about it. Thank you for sharing your story.
Thanks for your comment, I really love how positive everyone is about turning 40!!
Mackenzie I heart you!
I seriously can relate so much to what you beautiful shared here.
I was so caught up with “my body failed me” when I was sick with severe preeclampsia and my boy was born 5 weeks early. I was traumatized, betrayed because I always thought I would have a normal delivery. But now I see my fading c-section scar and I feel grateful that my body bounced back so fast after I had my son.
Our bodies are our temples and the more I read about this week prompts the more I realize if it is a holy temple then I should leave my dirty ‘footprints’ by the door. They have no place inside my sacred self. It is a daily practice to choose a kinder self talk on my case. I was so used to say bad things to myself but now I’m changing that.
Thank you so much for joining us again. Always love your words. Sending you the biggest virtual hugs I could possibly send.
You have really touched me, I heart you back! What beautiful words you just shared with me and my readers, I love how you said about leaving our dirty footprints outside of our temple, so true, we need to remember every day to be kinder to our souls. Thank you!
OMG will the similarities never cease! I’m 38 this year 🙂
I must admit I was going to write about this promo but went the body bashing angle instead. I’ll have to write another one on loving my body – it deserves some appreciation! I don’t give it a lot. Thanks for inspiring me to do so.
we are a funny pair! Yes your body does deserve some appreciation, go for it!!
I am certainly more comfortable in my own skin after passing the 30 mark… I still don’t truly love my body but I am getting there 🙂 Sim @ Simslife.co.uk
Thanks for the comment, and don’t give up on learning to love your body
Beautiful pic of yours there. That’s not fat. That’s cute and adorable. I agree with you inner peace totally relates with the way we perceive ourselves and loving ourselves, including loving our body.
Thank you Rina. You are right it is all in how we perceive ourselves. Thank you for your comment
It’s a long post, but I love it. You’re really a reflective person and a good writer. Thanks for sharing this. 🙂
Thank you for saying I am a good writer, I have always felt insecure about sharing my writing so I am thankful for your comments
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