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Permalink Reply by Amy Champagne on April 6, 2011 at 7:45am

thank you for this!!! im guilty of not showing myself some love!

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Permalink Reply by Wanderdust on April 6, 2011 at 8:22am

This is such a wonderful post for a hooping community to have! Hooping has made me love my body and who I am more and more. Media and advertising for women really had a negative effect on me when I was younger and it is important that people know that they're perfect just the way they are. Thanks for this!

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Permalink Reply by spin gypsy of Centric Hoops* on April 6, 2011 at 10:00am

This is awesome!!  Thank you for sharing.  Another great tip:  Include in your morning routine to look in the mirror when you first wake up, pretty much when you most likely look the worst (ie your hair is messy, makeup under your eyes, ect) and say to yourself "I am beautiful, happy, and wise." and really mean it!!  Also, when you start to think any negative thought about your body, stop yourself in the middle of the thought and say something positive about that or another part of your body. 

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StudentPermalink Reply by Kym Spins on April 6, 2011 at 12:50pm

remember what your body can do. that is so important - I always feel so grateful that I can trust my body and it is there for me. As I grow older I know that this will not always be the case, and I am thankful each day for health.

Hooping made me understand that my body is a gift, not a curse simply because I am not 5"10" and chiseled of stone.

 

Today, I have decided to love my body better by learning when to quit. I hurt my knee quite a bit yesterday and originally was going to push through the pain, as I usually do. But, you know what? That sucked. I was hurting myself and not enjoying the process all to live up to some standards that are created in my head.

 

nope. nope. nope. Now, I decided to chill, drink coffee and listen to tunes. While icing my knee. 

It's the least I can do for the body that gives me so much each day.

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Permalink Reply by Brittany Mathis on April 7, 2011 at 12:29am

Not 20 minutes before seeing this article, I said to my friend that I've noticed myself become a lot more self conscious about my body. Reading this helped boost my spirits so much. I'm very glad I found this community :)

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StudentPermalink Reply by LavaAura on April 9, 2011 at 7:43am

I am so grateful for the time and energy you put into making this inspiring post. It is very easy to forget to love ourselves like we love others. What a concept. Love ourselves like we love others. It is easy to criticize ourselves, but it takes strength to be gentle and kind to ourselves, like we we're talking to a friend. A friend we love, admire, and would do anything for. I have never in my life met someone I thought was ugly,"alright" looking, "do-able" have you heard this? And I have heard such phrases. But you know what? I could never reduce someone to that (even as a child, while kids teased, I only saw beauty and still do in everything) and I hope everyone finds the love to overcome such meaningless phrases because how you feel about yourself is up to you. You have that power. Isn't that wonderful? It just takes practice.  That negativity is not who we are or who we will ever be. By letting someone else reduce us to anyone one thing (that includes our body image) or letting our minds pick at our bodies, we are in a way forgetting all the rest of what makes us who we are. The gift that we are. We are a transformative power, we are creative, funny, compassionate and I truly believe that when someone tries to hurt and criticize, it is because they have been burdened with the same insecurity that is unnecessary! so unnecessary! we are all to be loved. I love everyone here, for all the hard work, for just being yourself and exploring your mind and body. we are beautiful beings in every shade you can imagine and have yet to imagine.

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Permalink Reply by Briana on April 9, 2011 at 10:26pm

thank you, really made me realize i need to take some action and realize which people truly make me happy and feel good; thanks for letting it out that none of us are alone on anything.

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Permalink Reply by Hailey Hancock on April 9, 2011 at 11:02pm

:)

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Permalink Reply by Stevie Cee on October 3, 2011 at 3:03pm

Thank you Carisa! I needed to read this today!

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StudentPermalink Reply by Danielle Starshine on October 17, 2011 at 10:58am

A genuine thanks for this post. I for one am guilty of this. So often I have felt miserable and out of place at a show/festival/bar because I didn't feel as attractive as the other girls around me. I find that if I don't allow myself to be preoccupied with looks, I have so much fun!

 

I really hate the media and what they have done to the self-esteem of women. You gotta remember, they want you to be miserable with yourself, otherwise you wouldn't want to buy their make-up/diet pills/crazy exercise contraptions/antidepressants/whatever they are trying to sell you!

 

 

Remember: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt

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