A Weighty Matter

As we slide into the end of another year, I thought I would "weigh in" on a few things...namely, scales. When I moved to Calfornia last July, I purposely left mine in WA. I was one of those people who had to weigh themselves every single morning. But if I didn't like the number I saw, my day would start with negativity, regardless of whether that number was 120 or 160. So silly.

I am more than a number on a scale. My health is more than that too. Now when I wake up, I don't even think about my weight. I put my clothes on and see how they feel. If they feel tight, I make a mental note to eat a salad. If they feel loose, I am just more comfortable that day.

I love the absence of judgement. I love the way it allows me to feel good about myself every single day.

Every now and then, in pursuit of healthful habits and ideas, I run into people who weigh themselves religiously and am quickly reminded why I chose this path instead. It is liberating. It is loving.

Geneen Roth wrote that you can't hate yourself thin. I believe that.

Whenever I have a negative thought in my head about my body, I replace it with a positive thought. One of my favorite "exercises" to do when I am falling asleep at night is to close my eyes and focus on different parts of my body and say, thank you. It might start like this: "Thank you feet, for holding me up all day, for taking me on a beautiful walk through the park. You are strong. I love you."

It may feel strange at first, but learning how to love ourselves (at any weight & at any place) is one of the most important things we will learn in this life.