"My body is real, and it is healthy,
but I’m apparently not supposed to
feel positively about it.
The simple fact is that if fat people
are to live healthy, active lives
we need good self esteem too.
And that requires equitable treatment
from others;
skilled, empathetic health care;
accepting environments in which to exercise;
quality clothes and fashion to fit our bodies;
and the right to live free
from prejudice
and size-based discrimination...
but I’m apparently not supposed to
feel positively about it.
The simple fact is that if fat people
are to live healthy, active lives
we need good self esteem too.
And that requires equitable treatment
from others;
skilled, empathetic health care;
accepting environments in which to exercise;
quality clothes and fashion to fit our bodies;
and the right to live free
from prejudice
and size-based discrimination...
...This is especially important
for fat children and teenagers,
who are vulnerable to bullying.
These young people need
parents, teachers, doctors
and celebrity role-models
to protect them from prejudice
and encourage them
to have good self esteem,
no matter what their weight."
for fat children and teenagers,
who are vulnerable to bullying.
These young people need
parents, teachers, doctors
and celebrity role-models
to protect them from prejudice
and encourage them
to have good self esteem,
no matter what their weight."
I judge that by the reactions of our attendees.
They seemed happy and satisfied, therefore it was a success!
Andrew is great in front of a room. He's a natural speaker and teacher.
I'm a natural info-tainer.
This was our first venture together.
We work VERY well together in front of a room.
Our timing is good,
our consideration of each other comes easily,
we defer to each other at just the right times,
our humor came through just fine,
and people were engaged.
We worked for weeks preparing ourselves for this.
We studied together. We memorized and took notes.
We challenged each other's knowledge.
We selected just the right info for our seminarians.
On one level, I'm happy and satisfied.
I have confidence that we'll continue to improve
and fine tune our service to others.
Things will continue to get better and better.
But my demons are shaking their pitch forks at me.
Demon of all demons would be my self esteem.
All I can think of when I look at the (really cool) pictures
click here
from Sunday's seminar is
how fat I am
and how I have the Sargese double chin.
Ugh.
Ah, the tricks of Ego.
If only I were thinner...
If only I had no double chin...
If only I were younger...
If only my hair were thicker...
Like, who cares?
I don't think anyone in the room that day was thinking that they'd rather be looking at a smaller woman. I don't think they were noticing my double chin in a negative way. I don't think they got anything less than they were supposed to because I'm a size 22 instead of a size 12.
Yet, I'm dealing with the demon anyway.
I THINK I look like this:
But I actually look like this:
(Could Andrew be any cuter do ya think?
click here for his report on our Sunday Seminar)
Come to think of it, no matter what size I am
I'm dissatisfied with how I look.
Even when I weighted less and had less of a chin
I was still jutting my jaw out toward the camera
to lessen the look of my fat neck or covering it
with a prop or scarf.
Maybe the best I can do for now is
tell the demon to sit down and be relatively quiet
while I get on with my life.
I don't know that I'll ever be the "beauty"
I was back in 8th grade.
And even then I thought I was hideous, fat and unlove-able.
It may take me years and years (or not)
to get over my self-esteem issues.
We're always getting over something, I guess.
As long as it's not stopping me from doing good work,
keeping to my course spiritually,
passing on knowledge,
having compassion for others,
and learning valuable lessons,
I'll be ok.
If I can look at myself in the mirror
and say that I'm doing good in the world,
the fairest of them all part can come later,
if it comes at all.
*Lisa's Video Pick of the Day*
Yeah, here I am winning an award for
self esteem and body image work with
the university community.
Well, at least I have experience!
click here or click below
Posts
3 comments:
Feel like I'm stating the obvious here, but for all of those of us who have double chins and/or thinning hair and/or whatever, don't you think it's amazing for US to see someone who doesn't fit the according to MTV version of what's supposed to be considered pretty have the guts to stand up in front of a room and be awesome, especially concurrently with a lithe young thing? Those things are you. Hating them is hating yourself and you're way too valuable a resource to yourself and others to waste precious time on that kind of toxic energy. Get as healthy as you feel you need to be, but please oh please oh please stop bagging on yourself.
OMG! You should google "Wendy Harmer" images. She is an Australian author and comedienne and in that first pic - you look so much like her.
Hi,
I came across your blog as i was searching for a double chin study a friend had told me about. it's amazing how we focus on something, anything, and obsess to ourselves-if only this was THIS way, then things would be alright. I recently took my certification class through NGH. I haven't worked with many clients yet but the one thing everyone has in common are insecurities about their own worth. Whatever the presenting issue may be, there is always the need to help the client strengthen his/her belief in their own value. Since weight is the primary focus of this Blog, and something you struggle with emotionally and physically, what results have you had working with people who want to lose weight?
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