BODY POSITIVITY A LA MR. ROGERS

Fred Rogers, of the amazing, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, used to swim a mile each morning and then weigh himself. The numbers he saw on the scale added up, in his own personal form of numerology, to the words, “I love you.”

 

Now when I heard that my mind just about exploded.

 

I mean, what a great way to see those numbers! Using every single ounce and pound as part of a mathematical equation that adds up to self-love? What is more beautiful than that?!

 

The scale has become a sort of terrifying torture device for most people, rather than a tool for giving you a numerical display of your gravitational pull. And stepping on it has become the moment of truth for whether you’re worthy or unworthy, beautiful or ugly, ready to take on the day or spending at least two hours crying on the floor of your shower.

 

We see the number as a reflection of our value a human being, rather than what it actually is: a number. But what if we could see it as a reminder? A reminder of, “I love you.”

 

Because that’s the goal, isn’t it? Love? I mean, is there anything more beautiful than a person who is able to genuinely love themselves?

 

I don’t think so.

 

When a person is able to show themselves some authentic love and kindness, they are able to show others authentic kindness. They are able to let go of comparison and genuinely celebrate those around them. When we love ourselves, we can see and celebrate the beauty in others without viewing it as an opportunity to take an inventory of what we lack. And personally, I think that is a definition of freedom.

 

I truly remember a time where being around other women was less about connecting with wonderful humans, and more about cataloging all the things that were wrong with me. My entire mentality was based around this idea that worthiness was like a pie, and there was only enough for some of us. So, if one woman was very thin with beautiful eyes, that automatically created a deficit within myself.

 

And how is that a way to live?

 

It isn’t.

 

When going through life measuring how you stack up against others, you’re unable to remember the things that make you beautiful. The way your eyes light up when you laugh, or how you can recite literally all the lines from Bridesmaids, or how you make lasagna that is so good, people audibly moan when they eat it. You’re not ever giving yourself room to come from a place of “I love you.”

 

Since it’s about to be February (a month that many people associate with love) I wanted to do something to help you measure yourself not in pounds or ounces or inches or centimeters, but in “I love you’s.” Because wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to look down at a number on the scale or see your reflection in the mirror and have every inch of you add up to love?

 

Hint: your answer should be a resounding, “YES!”

So here's my present: Time. Take back your time. 

It's time to give yourself a chance to ditch the yoyo dieting, the over exercising, the painful self-talk, the clothes in your closet that give you the blues by just being there, the food guilt, the mirror avoiding, the belly pinching, the bathing suit fearing, the event dreading, and everything else in between. And instead commit yourself to something that will help every single bit of you add up to one thing: I Love You.

 

Til next time,

Dani