Just Say No

If you accept the expectations of others,

especially negative ones,

then you never will change

the outcome. ~ Michael Jordan

Once again, my sincere thanks to all of you who posted such loving and supportive comments on my last entry. I've been letting everything soak in over the past few days since I ran into my former Weight Watcher member: your thoughts, emails from friends, my feelings about everything that's happened since I stopped working for Weight Watchers. And I keep coming back to a phrase a dear friend emailed to me:

You are not your body.

It's SO easy for women to define our success or our failure in life based on our appearance. It's no secret why we do: we're surrounded by messages that we must look a certain way in order to be accepted in society. It's almost impossible not to buy into it.

But I think it's critical for all of us to remember that we do NOT need to measure our success as a human being based on what anyone else thinks we should do or be or think or feel. We can - and must! - define success on our own terms.

I chose not to weigh last night at my support meeting because I knew the scale would likely show a gain. I also knew that I have done many good things for myself this week that have nothing to do with the scale: I walked three times -- longer and harder walks than I've done so far; I've cut back on enjoyable commitments I made prior to being empanelled on the grand jury (there just aren't enough hours in the week right now.) Plus I was called to interview for a job that I want very much (keep your fingers crossed for me!) I did NOT want the number on the scale to diminish all the good things that are going on in my life right now.

When I worked for Weight Watchers, I knew that the best thing I could do for my members was help them gain a sense of self-worth, to fight against the messages society gives to all of us about our bodies. Losing weight and getting healthy is hard work. It can only happen when we care enough about ourselves to invest the time and effort it takes.

So starting today, I reject the propaganda that I can only be happy if I'm thin. I reject the lie that I am valuable only if I lose weight. I embrace the idea that my body is strong and lovely and carries me from place to place while I accomplish many good things in my life!

Because of this belief, and not because of the warped messages society sends me, I'll treat my body with love and respect by exercising, eating healthy more times than not, and pampering myself physically as often as possible.

I am not my body, but I choose to care for the body I have!


Until next time...