It’s been estimated that the average woman spends about one hundred minutes a day scrutinizing her body.
Between body checking in the mirror and trying on multiple outfits because everything we put on makes us feel fat, obsessing over food and exercise, counting calories, contemplating whether we deserve to eat the foods we like, and comparing our body to everyone else’s—we devote an immense amount of time to hating our bodies.
This is time we could spend reading a good book or having fun with a friend.
Time we could spend learning something new or participating in an activity we’re passionate about.
Time we could devote to exploring new interests and traveling new places.
Time we could use to practice our spirituality and strengthen our relationship with a higher power.
Time we could spend celebrating who we are and what makes us unique.
If the average woman spends about an hour a day contemplating her size, calorie intake, and exercise regimen starting at the age of twelve and she lives eighty-five years, she will have lost over three years of her life.
Most of us get irritated if we spend more than five or ten minutes waiting in line at the grocery store or getting stuck in traffic.
Three years of feeling powerless, being unproductive, losing out on experiences, and missing opportunities should make us furious.
Maybe you can’t love and accept what we look like today, tomorrow, or a year from now.
But you can choose to actively fight and argue back with the voice telling you that you aren’t good enough.
You can become aware of the times you engage in negative body talk and you can notice what triggers the negative voice and gives it power.
You can remind yourself that the size of your body does not define who you are.
And you can refuse to let the way you feel how you look prevent you from participating in life.
You can choose to believe that you deserve something more.
Oh wow. That was amazing.
To each and everyone of you reading this, you’re beautiful.
