What are you grateful for today?
I walked the 5 kms (3 miles) to work this morning for the first time in what felt like ages. I don't do as much walking in the winter because the sidewalks usually are a mess of snow and/or ice. But with all the rain we had on Monday, and now the wintry chill again, the sidewalks are dry and bare for the most part. Only some ice in low-lying areas.
So I was in the mood to move my body and enjoy the peace of the still-dark morning. (I leave the house at 6AM.)
While I was walking, my mind flashed back to getting dressed, trying to decide what to wear, what I can fit into, how huge I look in these pants or those. How much weight I've gained, how lumpy this middle-aged body is, how ugly. (I've had body image issues since my teen years and even when I weighed a mere--for me--115 pounds I still thought I was fat.)
And I remembered the interview with Jann Arden (Canadian singer) on Steven and Chris (talk show) last week, to promote her new CD. She's not obese, but neither is she a small woman, and as she admits, she's been every weight under the sun. She said in that interview, though, that not once in her life has she looked in a mirror and hated what she saw. That's she's always just been grateful to have arms and legs. Which, frankly, is amazing, especially for someone in the entertainment industry.
So instead of letting the broken record in my mind go on and on about how fat and dumpy I am, I took a deep breath of the chilly, fresh air, and tuned in to my body as I was walking. How it felt to stretch my legs, the twinges in my lower back until my body warmed up, the swing of my arms.
You know, it felt wonderful. I had a fabulous, very brisk walk in to the office.
And I was so grateful just to be able to do this, grateful for the very breath of life moving through my body.
So what are you grateful for today?
So I was in the mood to move my body and enjoy the peace of the still-dark morning. (I leave the house at 6AM.)
While I was walking, my mind flashed back to getting dressed, trying to decide what to wear, what I can fit into, how huge I look in these pants or those. How much weight I've gained, how lumpy this middle-aged body is, how ugly. (I've had body image issues since my teen years and even when I weighed a mere--for me--115 pounds I still thought I was fat.)
And I remembered the interview with Jann Arden (Canadian singer) on Steven and Chris (talk show) last week, to promote her new CD. She's not obese, but neither is she a small woman, and as she admits, she's been every weight under the sun. She said in that interview, though, that not once in her life has she looked in a mirror and hated what she saw. That's she's always just been grateful to have arms and legs. Which, frankly, is amazing, especially for someone in the entertainment industry.
So instead of letting the broken record in my mind go on and on about how fat and dumpy I am, I took a deep breath of the chilly, fresh air, and tuned in to my body as I was walking. How it felt to stretch my legs, the twinges in my lower back until my body warmed up, the swing of my arms.
You know, it felt wonderful. I had a fabulous, very brisk walk in to the office.
And I was so grateful just to be able to do this, grateful for the very breath of life moving through my body.
So what are you grateful for today?
Comments
6 am??!! Wow!
As I'm at work, I'll watch the interview at home. I've not actually heard of her but your post makes me curious (as well as to hear her music too!)
But hey!! Good for you for walking and for lovin your body!! Like you I've always had issues with my bod. it's short and I was overweight but still got dumpy legs and fat calves! I have good days that I just love myself so much its unreal and bad when I just try my clothes and think "Oh nothing fits, nothing!". LOL! But those times are getting less and less!
So I'm grateful that I have less and less bad days when I think "aaargh who is that in the mirror??! and more and more days when I wake up thinking "I'm gorgeous and so is everyone else!".
:-)
p.s. Your blog and photos and fur family show just how wonderful you are!
Take care
x
Did you know Jann played here this week?? Monday night I think.