I’m going to tell you something kind of embarrassing. I really battle the demon of body image. I have always been slim and never struggled with my weight but still, I have always been very critical of my body.
As embarrassing as it is to admit such a shallow obsession, I also know these thoughts and anxieties are shared with many of you. It is common for us to compare ourselves to other people and become discontent with our appearance.
We live in a scary world. It wasn’t until I went to a lecture on body image and how it impacts youth, that I realized just how scary society has become with image. Social media has always been a trigger of discontent for me and now I see just how big it is for people.
Between doctored pictures of both friends and famous people and ads for exercise and fitness; we are bombarded by a filtered, inauthentic world.
And we look at ourselves and try to hold ourselves to this impossible standard.
Body image is always a battle in the yoga class. Oftentimes our reason to come to a yoga class is that we are discontent with our body and want to be healthier. That’s a good reason but when we start comparing ourselves to the students around us, it becomes not so healthy of a thing. We encourage our students NOT to compare themselves to others but to listen to their bodies and make it their practice and no one else’s. We do this because we know what you are thinking. We know you want to be perfect but the truth is very few of us are this image we strive to become.
Let’s unplug.
I think that’s a start. I challenge you today, if you are feeling discontent, depressed, or anxious; unplug. Take some time away from the media and just live in your own body. Don’t forget that God made you in His image. When He made mankind He said “It is Good.” Don’t call Him a liar.
This is great! And so true!