Culture and the rules and media Are to blame for creating the ideal. The ideal body, the ideal lifestyle. What we should look and act like, who we should be friends with what kind of jobs we should do.
Megan Jayne Crabbe in her book Body Positive power talks about a study that was done in Fiji Before 1996 Fiji did not have access to television and there was only one reported case of anorexia in teenage girls In the Fijian culture it is about celebration, feasts and gatherings. If you were not eating or had lost weight it was concerning ( they thought you were ill) The thicker you were the better and more healthier you were. Studies showed that Once T.v. was introduced things changed and women and girls started seeing themselves differently, they started saying things that they needed to lose weight look slim dress differently just by watching shows on Television. They started to diet. It just goes to show how powerful Media is.
Things need to change and they are changing step by step bit by bit. The Ideal needs to change. There needs to be no Ideal. What we need to do is to start Respecting all bodies. All kinds. Curvy, thin. Big breasted small. Breasted. Pancake butt. Bootylicious butts thick thighs, skinny legs.
We need to start accepting what we are. It's hard as I shared before to just start embracing ourselves, but we can start in small steps we can start by accepting who we are. How our bodies are. I accept I have a pooch from 4 Caesareans and stretch marks that run deep. I accept I have them and they are not going away. I accept that that's what came from growing and delivering my 4 beautiful babies I also accept there will be times I cringe when I look in the mirror, but there are now more times that I look in the mirror and think damn girl you look good. Change is hard when we are conditioned to see the worst, to always be trying to be like everyone else or to try to fit an ideal that is just what we see as ideal at the time. Those who we think have the ideal are searching for their view of the ideal.
I always talk about gratitude and how being grateful helps to see things in a different way. Your body is no different. Start being thankful Thankful for all your body does for you Arms to hug and lift and hands to grasp and hold Lips to kiss Eyes to see all the magic there is to see Mouth to smile and laugh and speak Teeth to chew your food Legs to move you about to get you from one place to another Feet to walk and dance and run Your body is an amazing vessel to house and move your spirit around. You are so much more than your body and what it looks like.
You have so much magnificence, within you and it shines out if you let it.