As I was walking around campus last week, a profound thought came to mind: Our legs are seriously the most under-rated parts of our bodies! And not only that, but they also tend to be the most targeted aspect of physicality on the large scale. It is so sad to me that the part of us that should be most praised is most discriminated against. Let's take a step back and take a look at reality.
Stop and think about what your legs do for you. They get you out of bed in the morning, carry you to classes, work, family gatherings, they walk, run, dance, stretch, lift, bend, slide, gallop, skip, and store energy for all our daily activities. Our legs hold so much power to help us do all of our everyday tasks and activities.
So why are we hating on our legs? When you keep a realistic perspective of it, it's hard to see why. But when we turn to what advertisements, television and movie industries, marketing agencies, and our own subconscious whispers to us, it becomes almost impossible to see all the benefits from our legs. We are lied to on a daily basis that our legs are only of value if they fit well in size 2 skinny jeans, if they are long and "spidery" like the Victoria Secret Models' legs, if they will grab and hold the attention of everyone, male and female, in a quarter-mile radius.
Is that necessary? Is that beneficial to your being in any way? Does that promote your vision of your own magnanimous self-worth? I'll answer for you. Heck no! There is no universe in which these messages will lead to anything but unhealthy habits and devastatingly low self-esteem.
So let's kick that trash to the curb and redefine some things. Your legs - whether they hold the bulk of your water weight, or none of it, whether they touch in the middle (mermaid style, ladies!) or are wide set - are one of your crowning features. I know, right?? I can practically hear you all saying "What about my eyes, my hair, my contagious laugh, my comic book collection...?? Those aren't my crowning features??" Ok, well you can add those on top too, but regardless of the many sleepless nights your platinum edition Spiderman issues have gotten you through, your legs have - and will continue to - get you through more.
This week's challenge! Take some time to be grateful for your legs. Give them a bubble bath. Rub some special lotion on them. Hug them. Tell yourself that they are one of the most powerful things about you, because it's true!
Stop and think about what your legs do for you. They get you out of bed in the morning, carry you to classes, work, family gatherings, they walk, run, dance, stretch, lift, bend, slide, gallop, skip, and store energy for all our daily activities. Our legs hold so much power to help us do all of our everyday tasks and activities.
So why are we hating on our legs? When you keep a realistic perspective of it, it's hard to see why. But when we turn to what advertisements, television and movie industries, marketing agencies, and our own subconscious whispers to us, it becomes almost impossible to see all the benefits from our legs. We are lied to on a daily basis that our legs are only of value if they fit well in size 2 skinny jeans, if they are long and "spidery" like the Victoria Secret Models' legs, if they will grab and hold the attention of everyone, male and female, in a quarter-mile radius.
Is that necessary? Is that beneficial to your being in any way? Does that promote your vision of your own magnanimous self-worth? I'll answer for you. Heck no! There is no universe in which these messages will lead to anything but unhealthy habits and devastatingly low self-esteem.
So let's kick that trash to the curb and redefine some things. Your legs - whether they hold the bulk of your water weight, or none of it, whether they touch in the middle (mermaid style, ladies!) or are wide set - are one of your crowning features. I know, right?? I can practically hear you all saying "What about my eyes, my hair, my contagious laugh, my comic book collection...?? Those aren't my crowning features??" Ok, well you can add those on top too, but regardless of the many sleepless nights your platinum edition Spiderman issues have gotten you through, your legs have - and will continue to - get you through more.
This week's challenge! Take some time to be grateful for your legs. Give them a bubble bath. Rub some special lotion on them. Hug them. Tell yourself that they are one of the most powerful things about you, because it's true!
