When we’re told to love ourselves just the way we are, why is it that so many of us find it nauseating and a little bit daft.
But if we’re told that eating X will stop ageing, that losing weight will make us hotter and that if we exercise in a certain way, we’ll look younger – well, we’re right there doing whatever we can to change ourselves.
But if we’re told to change nothing except how we feel, well, isn’t it funny that we react a little less positive.
It sometimes takes a lot more effort, self-knowledge, insight and patience to really embrace who we really are with confidence.
I still get well-intentioned emails asking which yoga is best for weight loss. Yes, many folks could do with being a bit lighter, I hear you!
I just don’t think that yoga is the way forward with that particular goal.
Our weight and weight issues in this society are so bound up with issues of guilt, shame, being righteous, and for me, yoga is all about living in the moment and learning to live with yourself right in the moment, if you’re size 8 or 18.
If you need to lose weight well ho hum, there’s a separate project, and the confidence will stand you in good stead to get doing some fitness exercises, eating better and finding people who support your goals.
For me, the yoga, mindfulness, meditation and mindful movement is about embracing exactly who we are right now this very moment.
I believe that once we truly learn to love ourselves as we are, we will learn to connect with others and accept others as they are.
We are not a project to be ‘fixed’, and neither are our partners, families and friends. We are all, gloriously and beautifully, perfect just the way we are.
This week you might want to check out my cheeky blog about losing weight.
We’ll all be doing the Embrace your Essence challenge, starting from Monday 23rd, and will be talking about it on the Movers group.
We’d love to see your pics of you embracing your essence, whoever you are, whatever your physical body looks like, on social just tag us @movementformodernlife and @movemorelivemore.
“When we’re told to love ourselves just the way we are, why is it that so many of us find it nauseating and a little bit daft?” The answer to this question is actually very simple : It’s because we are British! 😉