A few years ago I smashed a scale. A few weeks ago I modelled in a THONG for Knix. You might wonder how these two are connected, and I’ll fill you in but sit tight while I share a little back story.
Back to the scales...where I actually smashed 10 scales...with a sledge hammer. True story.
It was planned as part of a fitness photoshoot. I wanted to capture the exact moment I’d never let the scale define me again. It was a bold move. A fitness photoshoot?! I’m just a wife and working mom of a young girl. Who did I think I was capturing imagery like this?!
Photo by: West Studio
I set aside my negative thoughts and imposter syndrome to step outside my comfort zone. Maybe, just maybe I’d inspire just 1 person with my rebellious act of rejecting the societal norm of weighing myself every day.
I was DONE with weight defining my value. I no longer wanted that tiny number, my relationship with gravity, to determine my happiness, confidence, mood or potential. I also didn’t want to pass along this habit to my daughter. For her to believe this act was part of getting ready in the morning. The very idea hurt my heart.
So I smashed scales with a sledge hammer to energetically cut ties with this toxic behaviour and lay a new path forward for me, for her and for anyone else who needed this message.
Since then, I went back to school to become an Eating Psychology Coach and founded Inspired Diaries. My mission is to help women rewrite their relationship with food and themselves.
If you’re a woman reading this...you probably relate. Getting up each day to step on that tiny all powerful (inaccurate) box to determine whether we should be in a good mood, proud of ourselves, sexy, confident, skinny enough to wear that perfect outfit or *gasp* wear a bikini on a beach or a sports bra at the gym. Every day managing between the shame of our shape and the tasks for the day.
I’ve been there.
The endless diets.
Negative self talk.
Buying into all the marketing scams.
Punishment mentality at the gym.
Comparing bodies to friends and the famous.
Never being small enough or light enough to be accepted.
But here’s the thing about smashing scales. Unless you do the work to change your mindset, there’s a million scales waiting for your purchase and delivery to replace the smashed one.
I remember being 10 or so. Back then I was constantly bullied for my overly feminine body at my age. Read: I had quickly developed large breasts before my entire class. This led to endless bullying. It made me feel small and worthless. After a while I believed the negativity and shut down my self confidence.
My mom saw this. And one day she sat me down in front of my bedroom mirror. She explained that I set the tone for how others treat me. Whatever I believe about myself is the truth whether it’s good or bad messages it’s the truth. That only I have the power to love myself and she could help me learn how but ultimately it was up to me.
She asked me to look in the mirror and share something I loved about myself. I couldn’t. I just couldn’t share anything I liked let alone loved about myself. I was living in a dark hole, it was lonely and negative down there. So many of us live there.
She left me there for a while to think. To look at myself. I probably sat there for almost an hour criticizing every aspect of my face, body and personality. But then I saw myself. Like actually saw myself, a glimpse of who I *really* was. I loved my eyes. Their shape and colour were so unique. They were kind eyes that observed the good in others. I found something. It was that moment that laid the foundation for me to begin to like myself. It’s been a hard journey one filled with ups and downs as you might guess.
But when I became a mom 20 years later I knew I needed to set an example stronger than the media and society to counter balance all that negativity. Everyone needs this support and it’s become part of my mission to show my child and the world that self acceptance is the path towards success and love in life. Like our Knix bras that support my ‘girls’ I want to support my girl in everything.
Photo by: LivePixels
So...
Do the work you’ll never regret.
Be brave, dare to fall in love or at least don’t hate your body.
Discover the uniqueness of you.
Accept the beauty of YOU.
See yourself as more than a number.
So you can impact your life and the world around you.
This work is the stuff that lasts a lifetime.
This is the work that becomes the foundation for so many new possibilities that are completely unknown today.
Smashing scales today might mean smashing glass ceilings tomorrow.
After all...we’re limitless when we choose to be. Think about that.
For me most recently it presented the opportunity to model for Knixwear. But the opportunity came with an ask to model a thong. Oh em gee. My bare bum for the world to see...I’m not sure they’re ready. Maybe I wasn’t ready.
But I was so excited that I said yes without any limitations to the invitation. I said yes for all the reasons why I smashed scales in the first place. Because whether it’s a scale or a thong...I have an opportunity to continue to do for my daughter and other women what my mom did for me.
