Summer is a wonderful time, filled with warm weather and bright skies, the smell of flowers and braais. Gaia is at her peak – with flowers in bloom and lush greenery everywhere you look.
With all that warm weather and sunshine, we are naturally inclined to want to spend more time outdoors. Dipping our toes in the ocean, picnicking under a tree and getting our skin kissed by the summer sun.
With all of this however, for many women (and even some men) it also ushers in the anxiety of what wearing lighter clothing (and thus greater body exposure) also brings, i.e., body judgment and shame.
If we experience any difficulties with our body image (and sadly, many women do), this is the time when our inner critic gets very loud. That part of us that has been conditioned to judge, demean and even attack our bodies, making ourselves ‘not good enough’ or ‘wrong’ in some way.
In a world that wants you to hate yourself, having a positive
body image is an act of rebellion!
When these kinds of thoughts show up, we get triggered, causing us to contract and hide, rather than expand and celebrate our bodies. Don’t beat yourself up about this, as it is not by chance. This message has been programmed into us through decades of social conditioning.
When it comes to our bodies specifically, we have all had it drummed into us from an early age what is considered acceptable and beautiful, and what is not, and how we might be viewed and treated as ‘less than’ if we don’t fit into the currently accepted norm.
Thus, our inner judgment and body shame develops as a way to protect us from getting hurt. Sadly, the irony is that as it attempts to protect us from the shaming that could come from the outside, it ends up hurting us continuously from the inside.
I feel that this phenomenon is at its height now, since social media has been added into the mix.
Social media is just so fake, and the more we can be around other women in real life, and see each other authentically –
without the masks and filters, being able to share our insecurities and fears – the healthier our society will be.
I can very clearly see why this has been programmed into us. As women we are powerful creators. If we are confident, standing in our power, and working together we are unstoppable. However, if we are feeling small, unworthy, judging other women and thus divided – we are kept in our place and unable to create the revolution needed for change. It is a sister wound that runs deep.
Having a positive body image is an act of rebellion!
Let’s aim for that sisters – and kick the toxic patriarchy in the nuts by loving our perfectly flawed selves!
Would you love to start healing you body shame?
Join me for a
Body Shame Healing Ceremony.
