New year's resolution are such wonderful ideas to me. I know that many people think they are silly and overwhelming and that no one actually sticks with them past January, but I find them refreshing and fun. Last year my resolution was no more clothes shopping, I made it all the way through July and I think that I still surprised people, including myself.
When this year came and I didn't have a resolution yet I decided I wanted a really really good one this year. I thought about committing myself to have no more bread, but I love bread so that was ruled out. Then I thought about making myself do 100 sit-ups a day and remembered that somedays I just do NOT feel like exercising. My thoughts of change all consisted of changing my body. This poor body. The one that I wear with me every single day, the one that keeps me strong and healthy and protects me. Which made me think of a new New Year's resolution which is to learn to love my body, to learn to be kind to it, to not be so judgmental and to truly love it. I am giving myself permission to live without guilt; to feel no shame or self-punishment when it comes to savouring the pleasures life has to lavish me. Isn't that a great way to live?
"Loving your body means: moving around, having fun, knowing your own worth, eating the foods (and portions) that make you feel good, supporting yourself unconditionally, being sweet to yourself when you make mistakes, and knowing deep in your heart that YOU ARE WORTH EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE FOR YOURSELF."
I am not damning attempts to eat well and exercise - far from it! I believe in fresh fruit and fresh air. Runs down sunset cliffs and ice-skating in winter, ball games on the beach and swimming in the sea all day in the summer. My point is, doesn't that sound a lot more fun than a no-carb diet and weight-lifting in a gym without any natural light whatsoever?
My big sister showed me this article and I think it is fantastic: Last year, in a large city in Australia, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said, “This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?”
A middle-aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym
"To Whom It May Concern,
Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans.) They have an active sex life, get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia.
Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans.
They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.
Mermaids don’t exist.
If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don’t have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex? Just look at them… where is IT?
Therefore, they don’t have kids either.
The choice is perfectly clear to me: I want to be a whale.
P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver, and a piece of chocolate with my friends.
With time, we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren’t heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy."
Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, “Good grief, look how smart I am!” Yes this is my new year's resolution.
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