Body Shaming Comes in All Sizes

A couple of days ago, a lady with an impressive following on Instagram posted a picture of herself in bodysuit. In a couple of minutes, comments - very few really friendly - started to flow: she was accused that she is too slim, she might be a counter-example for teenagers changing their mind about self-acceptance, she might be anorexic and sick etc. 

The decision to show your body publicly is indeed very personal and always involves the risk of being the target of various comments, more or less laudatory. After all, regardless of your size and measurements, there will always be people that will not be happy with the way you look because in fact they are unhappy with their own personality, bodies and ways of being. 

Apparently, there is hard to make everyone happy and you - as a human being or a people included in the category of 'influencers' - cannot change this very human unhappy condition. My point is that even people who are very slim and underweight can be as often targeted as those fighting with a weight problem. I know this from my own experience. 

Although I have my own history of eating disorders - that I will maybe talk more about one day - there is also a genetic structure that I inherited. All the women in my family were slim and I am slim too. I do work with a nutritionist that advices me on a regular basis about what are the best foods and ingredients I need to have regularly on my diet. I do sports of all kinds and I according to my MD, I am perfectly fine. This is the most important thing: to be healthy and in a good shape, regardless of your weight. As long as your medical condition is fine, you don't have to worry and it is no one's business to check on you. But apparently, people rarely find serious hobbies to get themselves busy with, unless it concerns other people.

Another story, also collected from Instagram, was about a very big fashion and lifestyle influencer who dared to go out on the street without makeup. A lady commented to her daughter that without makeup, the influencer was not worth to look at. Just because someone does not look the way it shows in the beautiful glamorous pictures does disqualify that person as a human deem to walk the streets without being bothered by such comments? 

Probably, only more education and self-awareness can finally help people to accept the others the way they are, because they ended up not asking themselves to be more than they are.

Reconnect to Yourself Through Painting

When is the last time when you really connected with yourself? When after a busy day, or week, or month - or even a year - you took some time off from all the other people and assignments from your life and spent some half an hour or 45 minutes or even an hour only with yourself?

It is what I asked myself a couple of weeks ago, when during my time of 'rest and relaxation' I decided to book some creative classes for getting my self back to...me. My creativity boost is not something new for me, as once in a while I do take some time off and keep myself busy with various creative, self-centered activities. I did when I booked a full class of over 3 months of Chinese painting, or when I developped various idea-inspired home-made decorations projects, jewellery or even painting. 

However, the last 3 years as a fully self-employed single mother were particularly difficult - although rewarding - and the last priority on my agenda was painting or anything connected with art. After all, when think and schedule some artsy moment when you have way too many bills to pay, parenting priorities and other house chores that too often are overwhelming for just a simple human being?

I was only partially right. The positive energy and focus spent in one hour of 'me time' is as valuable as a healthy afternoon nap. It is regenerative, positivity boosting and healthy for your mind. Although not a great painter, that one hour quality time I spent with myself scribbling with colours, was a deeply reconnecting time which I recommend to anyone, especially those busy women coping with a lot of home and work stress. 

From many points of view, it is as valuable as a one hour of therapy: you can freely talk - but with yourself, you are enjoying a space of freedom and creativity. I also recommend to use some light, meditation music which will create a special relaxing ambiance.

This art class I took was just two weeks ago, but it looks so far away in terms of my inner time. I didn't schedule a new class but I know that my weekly program should include at least one hour per week of creativity. This time, I am decided to keep the promise to myself...

What about you? When was it the last time when you took some 'me time'? Would love to hear your impressions.