{via etsy by ColorMeLucky}

Every Monday features a tip, activity, inspiring quote or some other tidbit that helps boost your body image, whether directly or indirectly — and hopefully kick-starts your week on a positive note!

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. I’d love to hear from you!

Are you sure you should eat that? Think your hips have gotten bigger? Maybe you need to work out a little more? Looking particularly large in that outfit, aren’t we? I can’t believe you couldn’t finish that workout. Everyone else did. Your stomach looks enormous today. What else is new. 

Yep, these kinds of thoughts still swirl in my head. Some days, they’re mere whispers. Other days, they start slow but swiftly seem to hijack my brain.

It feels like I have to remove them with a crowbar.

On those days, I have several phrases I can say to myself to squash these thoughts, or at least to quiet them. Because it’s these phrases that bring me back to what’s true.

They remind me that those negative thoughts are myths and lies that aren’t worth my time or energy to begin with.

I’ll probably always have slivers of negative thoughts about my body and my appearance. They’ll probably come and go as my body changes with pregnancy, giving birth and age.

So having these phrases is especially important for me in maintaining a positive body image, taking good care of myself and living a well-fed life.

Below are my phrases, along with other ideas that might work for you. Some remind me of the danger of negative thoughts (and their futility). Others remind me to refocus on what’s important.

• I am more than my body. 
• I am a whole, passionate person.
• These thoughts don’t get me anywhere, except a deep, dark place.
• My body already does so much for me. Just walking is a miracle (one that many people aren’t able to do).
• My whole body is a miracle. It is a gift.
• Would I say this to a friend in the same situation?
• What’s really going on? This has little to do with how I look today. What do I need?
• I’ll keep taking good care of my body. Whether I gain or lose weight is irrelevant.
• These thoughts keep me shackled to what doesn’t matter. They stop me from leading a fulfilling life. They sap the energy I need to focus on my loved ones and my passions. It’s OK to move on.
• I have better things to think about.
• I don’t need to be anyone else except for myself.
• I do what works for me.
• This body is my home.

If none of these phrases resonate with you, write a few that feel more familiar and speak to what’s true for you.

What will be your quick body-boosting reminder? 

A positive body image goes beyond liking your looks. It encompasses taking good care of yourself and leading a fulfilling life. In this weekly series, I share some of my favorite posts from some of my favorite bloggers on this topic. Sometimes I also share relevant pieces that I’ve written on the Web. Hope you find these links inspiring!

Vivienne reveals her creative process and the power of self-portraiture in our interview.

Brilliant words from Justine:

My creative ambition, however it chooses to express itself, is my birthright. It is central to who I am. It involves the need to play, to experiment, to make a mess, to embrace the great beauty of imperfection, to understand that there are no mistakes. It requires that I wander and dream and expose myself to interesting things and follow up on what catches my fancy.

A powerful post on family and body image.

7 quick ways to ease stress.

What to wear to your first yoga class.

On needing more help than you think you deserve. (Andrea’s piece is about motherhood, anxiety and depression but I think it’s a must-read for all of us. It’s a powerful reminder about asking for help and being yourself.)

Marianne shares her creative joy.

Creativity and motherhood.

Anna shares the soundtrack of her life. My favorite part:

What feeds your soul? Sunshine, Spring, driving with the windows down, tea with a girlfriend and nowhere to go afterwards, reading in bed, luxurious yoga practices, snuggling with my pups, holding hands with my hubby at the grocery.
What do people thank you for? Telling my truth and letting people know they’re not alone.
If you were to be remembered for one thing, what would you like it to be? Choosing openness, when I could have so easily gone the other way.

Navigating weight talk in front of your daughter.

Making gratitude a practice.

5 tips for managing anxiety during a transition.

What’s inspiring you this week?

{via etsy by Katie Daisy}

I’m not much for clever planners, productivity apps or special efficiency software. I live by to-do lists. I love jotting down what I need to do on stationary or even a napkin (clearly, whatever is handy). I also love my paper planner. And, on some days, I get spontaneous and type in a text file.

While they’re helpful, sometimes, to-do lists have a way of obscuring everything else. We get so focused on checking off tasks — big or small — that we forget to look around us. We forget to savor. And breathe in what’s right in front of our eyes (ears, nose, hands).

What if in addition to a to-do list, we also created a “to-notice” list?

This is a term that popped into my head this week. But call it whatever you want. It’s just a simple and short list of several things you’d like to notice on any given day.

For instance, maybe you’d like to notice how your little one laughs. Or how the sun peeks through your window in the morning, and slowly slides up the room as the hours pass.

Basically, this could be anything big or small that you’d like to observe and savor. Something you’d like to remember and enjoy. Something that makes you happy or brings you comfort. For a few seconds, a minute or more.

If you’re not sure, here are a few ideas to get you started.

• the sound of a loved one’s voice
• the wind against your skin
• the types of trees (and flowers) surrounding your home or office building
• the shades of green on the leaves
• the comfort of slipping under the covers
• the smell of freshly brewed coffee
• the smell of your body wash in the shower
• the shapes of the clouds in the morning
• how your cat hunts for lizards
• the feel of grass under your bare feet
• the feel of your lover’s skin
• your breath
• your reflection in the mirror
• how your loved one smiles
• how you smile
• how your body feels throughout the day (bonus: set an alarm to go off every hour to remind you to check in with yourself)
• the warmth of the sun on your face
• the taste of dark chocolate

If you’d like, you can even devote a notebook to your lists. This way they’re all in one place to enjoy and look back on.

What will you put on your to-notice list?

{via etsy by BLintonPhotography}

We’ve all had those days when one look in the mirror spikes our stress levels. (I still do.) For many of us, that’s when the inner critic starts ranting and raving. Before we know it we’re bashing our bodies and berating our qualities as a whole.

But it doesn’t have to escalate to an all-out brawl between you and your body. Here are several ways to cope without fueling those negative thoughts and sinking your self-esteem. Some of these can be done in the moment; others can be done later in the day.

1. Take long, deep breaths.

Stress and shallow breathing go hand-in-hand. The more stressed out we are, the more shallow and short our breaths (and vice versa). Taking several long, deep breaths helps to calm your body. It’s a signal to your system that there’s no need to panic.

2. Ask yourself, “What’s the kindest thing I can do for myself right now?”

I know your inner critic’s inclination is to unleash a firestorm of negativity. But, while difficult, kindness is the best approach. And it can come in many forms. The kindest thing might be to simply say, “I’m upset right now, and that’s OK.” It might be to make yourself a cup of tea. Or to curl up under the covers. Or to put your hands on your chest and keep repeating, “kindness.”

3. Move your body.

My body image can take a negative turn whenever I’m anxious. For me, the best antidote to my anxiety is movement. It’s like movement helps to shake the anxiety out of my system, letting the negative energy out (and away from me). What are your favorite ways to move? What physical activities help you feel alive and energized or comforted and calm? Here are some ideas for outdoor activities (even better because you’re enjoying a natural environment).

4. Create.

This is another way to shift the stress out of your body. This gets you moving. It provides a healthy distraction. And it reminds you that you’re more than a body. You’re a whole human being who creates things. Like meals, music, doodles, drawings and new dance moves.

5. Focus on the little miracles. 

According to Jeffrey Brantley, MD, and Wendy Millstine, NC, in their book True Belonging: Mindful Practices to Help You Overcome Loneliness, Connect with Others & Cultivate Happiness, a great way to reconnect with your body is to notice the little miracles it performs every day. They write:

The next time you’re in motion, focus on your breath. Each breath is an opportunity to reconnect with the ever-present moment of now. Each breath is powering your body’s ability to follow through on your next desired movement.

Imagine each breath giving life to the body you use every day for so many tasks and demands.

Now, be mindful of your body in motion, however subtle — the bend of your wrist, the feel of your foot making contact with the ground — and acknowledge it. For example, the next time you lift your arm to reach for something, acknowledge what your body does for you by thanking your body: Thank you, arm. Thank you, wrist. Thank you, hand. 

In this step, follow another movement of your body, however subtle or small. For example, pay close attention to the next blink of your eye. Imagine the number of muscles and nerves are coordinating within your body to execute this important activity — the movement of the lid, the sweeping motion of the lashes, the moistening of the cornea, and so on. Take this moment to acknowledge your body: Thank you, brain. Thank you, eye. Thank you, vision. 

Take this small moment to celebrate your body that has served you so faithfully and enduringly. Think about how it has been a dedicated ally and aid to you all of your life: Thank you, body! Thank you for your endless service. There is only you and your body here now, in this moment. Ah, this magnificent body!

6. Ask yourself, “What do I need?”

If you’re used to bashing your body, when you’re stressed out, that might be the tape you play. Instead of setting the record to repeat, stop the cycle. Ask yourself what you really need. Maybe you’re sleep-deprived, and you need some rest. (Not getting enough sleep can definitely make you easily irritated and frustrated.) Maybe this has zero to do with your body and more to do with an argument you had with a friend. Maybe you’d like to call that friend or feel the sadness about your disagreement.

7. Start and end your day with guided meditation. 

Guided mediation helps to relax your brain and body. This week Rachel shared two beautiful meditations, one for the morning, the second for night. You can find many soothing guided meditations online. Here are other meditations to try.

8. Evaluate your environment.

Is there something in your space that’s making you stressed out? Maybe it’s clothes that are too small or ill-fitting. Pack them away, give them to a loved one or donate them. (I just gave a bunch of clothes to my boyfriend’s sister. They fit me, but I just didn’t feel great in them anymore. She ended up loving everything.)

Maybe it’s the scale. Toss it. If you’re not ready yet, try weighing yourself less.

In her book Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance, Rosie Molinary has a great challenge about weighing ourselves regularly. She writes:

Step away from the scale. Do not give a little number on a little box on the middle of a floor somewhere in your house the power to dictate how you feel about yourself. Let your outlook be your guide. Choose an amount of time that seems challenging, and for that period, stop weighing yourself and focus instead on how your body feels.

When you’re feeling bad about your body, it can also feel like there’s no other option. You might feel stuck in the muck of negative thoughts and feelings. And there’s no getting out.

But you can de-escalate the firestorm, and feel better. I hope the above tips give you a good start.

What helps you cope when you’re stressed about your body?

Every Monday features a tip, activity, inspiring quote or some other tidbit that helps boost your body image, whether directly or indirectly — and hopefully kick-starts your week on a positive note!

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. I’d love to hear from you!

Last week I was watching Therese’s beautiful videos on coping with depression. As you can imagine (and many of you may know firsthand), depression is not easy on a marriage. One of the ways Therese shows her gratitude to her husband is by penning a love letter to him every single day.

Andrea also talks about creating a kind of love letter. Specifically, she suggests writing a love list with 10 things you love about a person in your life.

I love these ideas. Both are a great way to cultivate gratitude, and to share something truly meaningful with our close ones.

Gratitude gives us perspective. It reminds us of what’s important. And it’s always here for us.

As I wrote in this post, “It’s present in the moments when we hate our thick thighs or bulging belly. It’s present when we’re lamenting that we haven’t lost any weight. It’s present when we feel discomfort in our own skin.

Because in those very moments, we can give thanks without changing a thing.

We can thank our bodies for helping us run races, walk for miles, feel the fresh breeze against our skin, hug our kids, prepare a beautiful meal, learn something new and simply — though it’s far from a simple process — breathe.”

And we can thank our loved ones for the many — big and small — things they’ve done for us.

For instance, while writing a card to my mom, I realized that so many of the happy, fulfilling moments in my life she’s been apart of.

While writing a poem to Brian, I realized the many powerful ways we complement each other. We are an imperfectly perfect pair.

Our loved ones need to hear these things.

I’m a much better writer than I am a face-to-face communicator. That’s why letters and cards are a perfect way to articulate what I really want to say. And they become a beautiful, tangible memory for the other person.

By penning a love letter to someone, we pass on the magic of gratitude. Which has the power to lift a miserable mood or even day.

We also need to hear these things ourselves. That’s why you might consider writing a love note to yourself.

Sure, it might feel silly. Very silly. But it could be a really powerful practice, too.

Think about what others would say about you.

Think about the many ways you’ve helped someone or yourself.

Think about the vehicle that is your body and where it’s taken you.

My body has taken me from Russia to America. From push-up to push-up. From pedal to pedal, with a cooling breeze in between. From whispers in my mind to words on a screen. From hesitant and shaky baby steps to big, full strides.

Take some time this week to write a love letter, to someone else or yourself. It really is a gift, for everyone.

A positive body image goes beyond liking your looks. It encompasses taking good care of yourself and leading a fulfilling life. In this weekly series, I share some of my favorite posts from some of my favorite bloggers on this topic. Sometimes I also share relevant pieces that I’ve written on the Web. Hope you find these links inspiring!

What to do instead of numbing out.

7 damaging myths about self-care.

Monday was International No Diet Day. I loved Mara’s beautiful and heartbreaking post about her own experiences with dieting.

Also, check out Mara’s powerful interview with Vivienne, an incredibly inspiring photographer and blogger. Vivienne reveals how she uses self-portraiture to practice self-love, among many other wonderful tidbits.

Creative ways to comfort yourself and connect to your spirituality.

I love reading this interview series from Sas. Recently, she interviewed Susannah. And Susannah, in turn, interviewed Sas. I think these are valuable questions to ask ourselves and journal about.

So many of us doubt ourselves. We wonder if our words are really all that profound or meaningful. I often question whether what I have to say is all that important or interesting or relevant or worthy. If you do, too, use Rachel’s stunning post as a critical reminder. This is my favorite part:

Have you had this experience? Two books that say the same thing and only one speaks to you?

Or a friend raves about a book that changed her life but it falls flat for you.

Perhaps there is a blogger out there that ‘everyone’ raves about but who’s voice does not connect with you.

Maybe you’ve had a group of people in your life each give you the same advice, but it was one single person who was able to get through to you.

It’s not logical and I don’t need to understand why this is the way things are.

I simply know that each voice matters and that my voice is the voice that will connect with someone out there when others do not.

This is true for your voice too. Whether it’s a book you want to write, a speech you want to give, or a truth you want to share with your best friend – it matters that YOU share it.

Your voice is like your thumbprint. It has a uniqueness that no one can match and it has the power to carry healing, change, and beauty into a world that needs these them.

Our voice won’t be heard by all. It won’t even be received positively all the time. It will rarely, if ever, be perfect.

I simply ask myself, what if Geneen Roth had never written Women, Food, & God because she thought that most of the content had already been written about by others? What if Brene Brown didn’t give her initial TedX talk because she thought to herself “Would anyone care if I didn’t show up?”

How to know you love yourself.

Consider self-acceptance.

How to tell if you’re being accountable or obsessive about your yoga practice.

(By the way, Anna and Melanie are creating an anthology about yoga and body image. I’m so happy for them and can’t wait ’til it comes out in 2014!)

Happy Mother’s Day!

I’m starting a new series here on Weightless, where I’ll share a quote, comment or passage from another resource. Think of it as a kind of nugget to ponder, a morsel to nibble on; questions to explore when you have a few moments to yourself.

These questions will mostly focus on delving into your relationship with your body and yourself.

When I was younger, I rarely took the time to ask myself what I wanted. I rarely took the time to think through my intentions, needs and goals.

Sure, I knew I wanted to do well in school and to lose weight.

But did I dig deeper?

Unfortunately, not so much. Maybe I did. But I just don’t remember any thoughtful reflection or conscious efforts on my part.

So with this series, I’d like to encourage you to carve out some time to get quiet and contemplate. Because once you do, you have an exquisite sense of direction.

You have a clearer picture of what you need and want. You understand what’s working and what isn’t. You’re able to create a life that reflects your values and priorities.

And you’re able to make conscious and intentional choices.

Today, I want to share a passage from Susannah Conway’s beautiful book This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart. (It’s one of my favorites!) In it, she reveals what she’d like her relationship with her body to look like.

Like all of Susannah’s writing, this passage is inspiring and provides a a meal of questions to sink into:

She writes:

“I do want my body to last an entire lifetime. I want it to run smoothly and painlessly, like a well-oiled lawnmower, the kind you drive around the yard, smiling as a mundane chore turns into an hour of fun. I want my relationship with my body to be fun, to be light and loving, a pleasure not an ordeal. I want to call a truce, to find a way to be a body and a soul, both at the same time.

And just as I nurture my creativity and feed my mind with words and art, I want to learn how to nurture my body, to treasure the curves and the sags, and thank my feet every day for walking me to the supermarket without too much complaint. To remember to appreciate my arms that carry my groceries home, the finger that presses the shutter button, the knees that bend, the bottom that allows me to sit comfortably as I write these words.

And my shoulders! How lucky I am to have them either side of my head, bearing the weight of the world as soundlessly as they do. I want to learn to love my body again because it’s the only one I’ve got.”

So today’s questions are: What would you like your relationship with your body to look like? How would you like to nurture your body? Have you thanked it lately? How would you like to show your appreciation from now on?

Feel free to take out your journal. Remember that your answers may change. They may change every few months, maybe even every few weeks. Come back to these inquiries. Check in with yourself. Figure out the direction you’d like to go.

{I’ve always wanted to see these flowers in person. I finally did in Connecticut!}

Last week I was up north visiting my family and friends. I had a wonderful time. And while we stayed busy, there were certainly pockets of relaxation (like when we went to Connecticut and spent all day in a park).

But I’m a creature of habit. I thrive on routines (with some flexibility and freedom in between).

While I was away, I had very little structure. My sleeping, eating and exercise patterns zig-zagged.

So it’s not surprising that when I got back to Florida, I didn’t feel relaxed. I was uptight and edgy.

I felt lethargic, exhausted and the feeling-that’s-not-a-feeling: “fat.”

There were even whispers of weight worries. What if I gained weight? The weather is getting warmer. I’ll be wearing less, and I want to go to the beach. Crap. Maybe I should do extra workouts.

These thoughts made me feel even worse, especially since I am a body image blogger.

Don’t I know better? Do I still have to keep re-learning these lessons? Can’t I just freaking stop and have an unshakable positive body image?

But what I continue to learn is that with a positive body image, there’s no pinnacle or apex to reach, where you simply sit down, and take off your coat. There’s no Ok, I’m done. I’ve learned it all. 

Rather, there’s progress. And there’s practice. And there’s a path. And it just happens to be pretty windy.

But I do notice the progress, which certainly takes practice and life to reveal.

Before those whispers of weight worries and fears would’ve turned into gnawing commands and then punitive actions. Before I would’ve restricted my food, eating less or cutting out dessert.

Before I would’ve worked out more. Before I would’ve condemned myself, blamed myself for eating too much of this and not enough of that and berated my body.

I might’ve stepped on the scale for confirmation and spent too much time worrying about the results. There might’ve been tears and disappointments. There might’ve been a few “you’re such a failure, and you suck.”

Today, I’m simply getting back to my routine. I’m not cutting out dessert. I’m not eating less. I’m not adding in extra workouts. And I’m not hurling insults my own way.

Instead, I’m listening to my body. I’m eating when I’m hungry and trying to stop when I’m full. I’m savoring home-cooked meals and bites of Russian chocolate and apple cake.

I’m back in the gym because my group classes make me feel alive and soothe my stress. But I’m also taking walks with my mom, and taking it easy. I’m trying to get to bed earlier, and not get overwhelmed with work.

Today, I realize the limitations of focusing on weight. If I focused my attention on whether I gained weight (and wanting to lose it), that’s all I would see. I’d be numbed by the numbers, ashamed and unaware.

I wouldn’t be able to realize that instead of needing to shed pounds (and making myself miserable in the process), what I really need is to nurture myself with more sleep, calm, movement and yummy meals at home.

I wouldn’t be able to see the habits and activities I need to truly feel better, more energized, relaxed and fulfilled. Instead, I’d be scrambling to lose weight, feeling deprived and still edgy.

I also realize that a positive body image isn’t the absence of negative thoughts. It doesn’t mean always feeling fantastic.

This might seem obvious. But sometimes we need this reminder, because we forget that we are moving. We are not stagnant. We grow. We change. Our routines change. Life happens. Stress happens. And, sometimes, we forget.

We forget that we can’t turn a positive body image into just another thing to get obsessed about; another path for seeking perfection. We forget that weight loss isn’t a panacea. It isn’t the answer to our pain.

Having a positive body image means regularly reminding yourself of your priorities and re-learning old lessons and being blown away by new ones.

It means checking in with yourself, asking and re-asking and asking again: What do I need? Am I getting it? Why not? How can I provide for myself? What is my body trying to tell me? What am I learning here? 

Instead of my usual body image booster, today, I’d like to talk bout dieting. That’s because, today, is International No Diet Day (INDD).

INDD was started by Mary Evans Young, the director of the British anti-diet campaign “Diet Breakers” and author of the best-selling book Diet Breaking: Having It All Without Having To Diet.

Today, it’s celebrated all over the world.

Dieting has many negative consequences, which we rarely hear about.

It has a failure rate of 95 to 98 percent. It’s a common cause of overeating. (That’s what naturally happens when you restrict your food intake.)

It encourages people to deeply distrust ourselves and our body’s natural signals. It makes us lose touch with our hunger and satiety cues.

Dieting narrows how we can respond to our needs. It encourages food obsession.

What “should” I eat? Can I eat that pasta or piece of cake? Nope, it’s too many calories or too many points. How many calories does that have? If it’s not non-fat, I can’t have it. When’s the next time I can actually eat again? I’m hungry, but that portion is all I can eat. I’ve had all my calories for the day already. OK, this is seriously my last bite. I want to eat that, but I can’t. I can’t have any chocolate. I can’t stop thinking about it, though. 

And we let the diet, instead of our bodies and personal needs, do the talking. The diet is in control, and we’re just strapped for the ride.

Dieting also creates conflict: It creates a conflicted relationship with food. Food becomes the enemy or the big obstacle in your way to weight loss. As I said in this post: “There’s always a struggle – you versus some food.”

Dieting is about manipulating your appetite. And it doesn’t just affect our eating.

As I said in this post, it affects our entire lives. It stops us “from being fully present, and keeps us preoccupied, ashamed and oppressed – among other things.”

So I believe that ditching dieting is a celebration. A big one.

It’s a celebration of choosing health. Choosing yourself. Choosing to listen to your body and care for your many important needs.

People often think that they have two options: diet or eat anything in sight.

Attuned eating (i.e., not dieting) isn’t about eating whatever you want when you want. It’s not about eating potato chips or fast food all day, every day.

According to Judith Matz, an author and therapist who specializes in eating issues, “What we’re saying is to eat what you’re hungry for when you’re hungry…[You] use your internal cues so you’re making decisions based on what’s best for you physically, emotionally and spiritually.”

Ditching dieting isn’t easy, and sometimes the diet mentality still whispers in our minds. (What worthwhile thing is easy, anyway?)

But let’s try for the whisper to become meaningless chatter that doesn’t dictate our actions.

When I was dieting, I worried that two apples a day would make me gain weight. I allowed “health” magazines to rule my habits. I restricted and binged. I starved and felt sickeningly full. I was not healthy.

I felt like a failure. A glutton. And I never achieved the control I craved. Instead, I felt terribly out of touch with my body and myself. Food was the enemy. I was the enemy, because I couldn’t follow the rules, because I enjoyed eating.

What I didn’t know then is that releasing myself from the damaging clutches of dieting would seriously be – and I’m not exaggerating here – one of the best decisions of my life.

In honor of INDD, here are some ideas on how you might celebrate today:

• Listen and attend to your body’s hunger and satiety cues. In other words, try to eat when you’re hungry, and stop when you’re feeling full.
• List all the ways that ditching dieting has improved your life (or, if you haven’t given up dieting, how it might).
• Explore why you’ve dieted.
• Check out some great resources.
• Learn why diets don’t work (you’ll find some info in the posts below, particularly in Golda’s “16 Things That Are Wrong with Dieting”).
• Celebrate your body, and what it’s done for you.
• Think about what you’re hungry for in your life.
• Take the time to cook yourself a delicious, nourishing meal.
• Slow down and savor your meal. Smell the aroma. Taste the flavors. Focus on the textures.
• Avoid multi-tasking while you’re eating. When you’re eating, just eat.
• Avoid fat talk.
• Recycle all your diet magazines and books.
• Participate in a physical activity that energizes or soothes you.
• Spring-clean your self-care routine.
• Take the INDD pledge!

Here are other posts you might find helpful:

Becoming a Diet Survivor

Body Image & The Diet Mentality: Letting Go of Shame

Are All Diets Unhealthy?

16 Things That Are Wrong with Dieting

Intuitive Eating: Q&A with Dietitian Evelyn Tribole

The Surprising Differences Between Dieting + Not Dieting

The Freedom of Not Dieting

How will you celebrate International No Diet Day?

* Some parts of this post were published in 2011, when I also celebrated INDD here on Weightless.

{via etsy by Laura Evans}

A positive body image goes beyond liking your looks. It encompasses taking good care of yourself and leading a fulfilling life. In this weekly series, I share some of my favorite posts from some of my favorite bloggers on this topic. Sometimes I also share relevant pieces that I’ve written on the Web. Hope you find these links inspiring!

Why you’ll never have a new body — and why that’s totally OK.

Let your light shine through.

I’m celebrating being ordinary along with Jen.

If we believe being average = being nobody then we never develop the gifts we have, thinking them too average, hum drum, who cares? Simple example: If I try to write this blog post like an extraordinary writer, my writing dries up and nothing emerges.

…

Perhaps most tragically, when we work so hard to be special, there is no time to be alive! No time to open our arms to the simple, the average, the everyday. Which is where 99.9% of the life happens and where we get to be who we are!

Remember, it’s only temporary.

What 10 things did you love in April?

The difference between happiness and joy. An excerpt from Danielle’s powerful post:

Happiness is always passing through. It can claim your full attention for the ten seconds it takes to swallow a sip of incredible coffee. Or it can stream through your being for weeks on end. But happiness can’t hold the same space as sadness, or anger, or the range of so-called “negative” emotions for very long. This is why it’s transitory.

Joy is the fibre of your Soul. It’s the stuff of your essence. And since you, your Soul, can never be annihilated (yes, that would make you eternal and omnipresent), your access to joy never vanishes. Because joy is so foundational to your true being, every other state or emotion can rest on top of joy, it can accommodate everything.

This means that it’s possible to grieve with your whole heart, and still sense your joy. You can feel rage, and be aware of joy waiting patiently for you to return, and take deep comfort in that. You can get fired, dumped, dumped on, and pulled through the eye of a needle, and still feel held by the container of joy — the truth of your existence.

Beautiful advice: Spend more time staring, keep practicing magic and choose joy.

What’s inspiring you this week?