In our culture, the female form is seen as an object. A piece of visual eye candy. Many of us subconsciously take on that idea, and it bleeds into the way we see ourselves, and the way we feel about our bodies. In other words, the way you feel about your body might actually be influenced by the ideals of a patriachy that is toxic and imbalanced.
I’m not saying to abandon your aesthetic goals, but rather, don’t torture yourself with them. Us women have an uncanny ability to tourture ourselves around the way we look, while comparing ourselves to pictures that have been photoshopped to the enth degree.
I think we’re long overdue for a reframing of how we interact with our bodies, how we percieve our bodies, and how we treat our bodies.
What is My Body For?
This is a question that could free the collective concsiousness of women from the carousel of self-judgement and nit-picking. That constant ache of shame about our bodies that we inheret from society needs to be thrown directly into the trash, and this question is a step in that process.
As women, we’re programmed from a young age that our bodies are for looking pretty, being pleasing to the male gaze, attracting a partner, being captivating, being instagram worthy, and so on. We’re programmed that our bodies are objects to be desired, and if a certain number of men don’t desire it, we are not “good enough.” This is an insane use of the body, perpetuated by an insane world.
Most women aren’t walking around thinking “I need to get in shape for a man.” The programming manifests in far subtler ways than that. It’s more of a constant sense of shame and guilt about our bodies in general…a background static that’s there for so long you don’t even notice it.
And it’s from that place of shame that many women embark on the dieting roller coasters. That place of shame, built on the pretense that “my body is for fitting into societal standards”, is at the root of so much collective suffering for women.
This is all one GIANT diversion, taking away our power. If we, as a collective, broke away from the needless shame we carry about our bodies, we would promptly take over the world. We would promptly follow our wildest dreams. We would promptly let go of the baggage that isn’t even ours, and walk with our shoulders held high.
Take a step back and ask yourself “What is my body for?” and watch pure magic unfold. Don’t answer with your mind. Let your soul answer and listen to the cacophany of beauty that spills forward. Your answers will astound you and set you free for the moment. You’ll get insights like:
What is my body for? Some Examples…
- Loving others
- Sharing my gifts with the world
- Expressing myself
- Enjoying the outdoors
- Creating things I’m excited about
Oddly enough, when we ask the question “What is my body for?”, it leads to healthier choices. Don’t take my word for this. Try it out for yourself.
Undieting
Once you’ve considered the question above, you’ll start to feel a sense of ease and freedom with your body. You’ll start to have a different relationship with it. And as your relationship with your body changes, so too will your food choices.
I wanted to offer you a simple way to let go of dieting, and fuel your body for all the things you want to use it for. This is part of my framework for a process I call “Undieting”.
Undieting in a Nutshell
- 1. Eat foods without labels (Protiens, vegetables, fruit)
- 2. Eliminate dairy & grains
- 3. Don’t worry about counting calories, just eat whole foods without labels
- ** Bonus – If certain foods bother your system, don’t eat them
When we follow these simple “rules”, we never need to diet again. And we never need to feel any guilt about what we’re eating. These are gentle boundaries that help to release us from the world of chronic dieting and food obsession.
Go Play
The primary way to heal your realtionship with your body is to listen to it! Your body wants to play. It wants to paint, and learn, and move. It wants to dance, and swim, and create.
Start doing the things your soul is asking you to do. Stop thinking so much, and just go ahead and do it. Whatever “it” is.
Doing the things you love with your body creates a sense of safety and harmony. It’s how we can come to trust ourselves. It’s how we can experience the wonder of this thing called a body, and appreciate it for the gift it is.
Have a great day today 🌻
Love,
Brenda
P.S. To learn more about the art of undieting, and all things body, mind, & spirit, join The School of Transformation. Your membership includes full access to my course catalog, weekly live sessions, and direct support from me on a regular basis.
