Throughout my childhood (in cold Minnesota weather, no less) I was an active kid. I lived across the street from a huge park and it was back in the day when we would leave the house for the day and only come back for food. There was a public recreation center, a playground and a wading pool just yards from my front door. I played softball and did gymnastics.
It was idyllic.
When I was in high school, I was in flag corps and on an amateur swim team as well as my high school swim team. In fact, with the exception of my senior year, I was active through high school in a number of different activities. I think being so active made me focus on what my body was capable of instead of what I looked liked. I was not petite; I was curvy. I had hips and boobs. In my 20s I even ran a few marathons and while they were slow, they were all completed.
My body has done some cool stuff.
I have to say, I was never self conscious of my body’s size. Perhaps I never hated my body because I come from a long line of strong Nordic women who I picture catching their own dinner with thread and a sewing needle in the middle of a Scandinavian lake. Or maybe because I was raised by a feminist who loved her own body and never had any self hate talk for me to pick up on. My body propelled me through water, allowed me to march, run and so I’ve always been proud of how my body treated me.
While my body isn’t active in sports, or all that thin these days, I am still proud that my body propels me. It propels me while I care for my kids with special needs, experience life with my husband and family, follow through on hobbies I enjoy, grow and sustain friendships, and work at a job I love.
I am absolutely certain being active when I was young aided me in my current love for the large, curvy, squishy body I have now.
It propels me. And it did and still does cool stuff.
About Julia Roberts
This is a great post. More women need to accept their bodies and love themselves for who they are and what they can do rather than how they look. Thanks for reminding me of that. :D
We can all use a reminder, eh? I wrote this post a week ago, so this Tuesday, I can use these words!
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1
What a fabulous post! Thank you for sharing that! My body is not the prettiest these days but you just reminded me that it has done and survived some amazing things! Thank you!
Twitter Name: HeatherSchiavo
Our bodies are incredible in what they keep on giving and we should appreciate all the forms it is in throughout the phases of our life!
I wrote this and yet, I can use this reminder!
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1
excellent post. I was talking to my daughter the other day, who realizes she is a pretty skinny kid, and she asked if I would want to be skinny. I said I’d rather be medium-sized and strong, because being strong is important to me. I was never an active kid, I’m a bookworm and always have been, but now I’ve started running, and I haven’t lost a lot of weight, but more importantly, I’m so proud that I’m making my body stronger, more able.
Strong is a wonderful thing to strive to be! Congrats on going from bookworm to runner!
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1
There is nothing that will make you feel as good about your body as putting it to work. It’s really the best way to show your body how much you love it, too.
Excellent post.
Twitter Name: msmegan
We were meant to be active, weren’t we? Thanks for your comment!
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1
i never tire of reading posts like this. we are so bombarded with visions of waif-like women as ideal that it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. thanks for reminding me to love my body in whatever shape it’s in – and for all the cool stuff it does daily.
Thanks for your comment Beth! And really, can’t we all use the reminder that we’re more the average than the size O models?
We should all be grateful for what our bodies do for us!
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1
i love this post, love you. you’re so rad.
all fawning aside, i’ve learned how to love my squishy body, even though it is not the one i grew up with. after The Kid, i became the Squish. And hated it. but people like you have brought me along with self-acceptance. and i thank you for that.
Twitter Name: barbsobel
Aw, thank you. And well, right back at you! Our bodies are fantastic!
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1
Dang it, I wish I felt the same way. I’m proud of my body and what it has done, but I’m way too critical of it. Now that I have two daughters I don’t put my body down because I don’t want them to feel that way about their own bodies, but it makes me sad that I didn’t have someone looking out for me in the same way when I was growing up. I have to re-parent myself.
Twitter Name: Unknown Mami
Yeah, for my daughter I’ve had to stand up to people who talk self hate around her – even family. I think it’s important for me to point out to them that if they talk about how they hate their size 8-10 bodies, what must my girl think I think of my very much larger body?
I’m sorry you didn’t have anyone looking out for your own body love. Your body propels you and I hope that is enough someday.
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1
that’s a great out look. thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for the link back to my post!
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1