Client Quote #43: appreciation

Everyday we are bombarded with messages of how much we can control our body- cue fitness ads/lifestyle ads/fashion ads/beauty ads… and the list goes on. I myself have a medicine cabinet full of jars and creams offering me the fantasy of “anti-aging”, I am only human. Of course, the fearful yet liberating truth is that our bodies will never stay the same forever. The body will change with age, with life stages, with illness, with injury, with side effects to medications, with life stressors that we don’t have control over. Our bodies are programmed to change even if someone is eating or engaging in the same activities they were doing years ago.

Acknowledging and confronting the fear of letting your body change is extremely difficult. It’s a gentle process that cannot be rushed. More often than not, it requires tremendous patience and helpful guidance. Having gratitude for what the body can provide to you now (and not later) also takes a lot of work- especially in consideration of the privileges and stigmas that are very present in our society. And…despite it all, I see clients do it all the time. ED clients are used to doing challenging things, this isn’t unattainable.

This person went on to say “Don’t let the fear of your body changing stop you from continuing to live your life, eating the foods that nourish your body and soul, going out with your friends, enjoying your vacations without feeling the need to compensate or restrict. So that one day, when you look back on your younger self, you will have many rich memories to reflect on.”