Oftentimes, the way of the Empowered Woman is upside down from the rest of the world.
The world says collect enough money and you will be happy.
Empowerment says find deep gratitude for what you have, and you will live abundantly.
The world says find the perfect relationship and you will be happy.
Empowerment says fall crazy in love with your own path, life and best self, then good relationships will come.
The world says sculpt the perfect body and you will be happy.
Empowerment says to practice love, acceptance and deeply honor the body you have
now, and you will begin to care for and see it differently.
When I first started working out, I was surprised how drawn to fitness I was. I was just coming off 17 years as a smoker, had recently been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, and was about to get a divorce. My self-worth was in the pit and I was desperately seeking Susan. I had no idea who I was and what made me happy.
I still believed all three of the lies listed above. If I could just get enough money, the right guy, and six-pack abs, I would be happy. I am so glad it didn't go that way.
About the time I got divorced in '03, I decided to become a personal trainer and leave my pretty-good-paying corporate job. Self-employment gave me the professional freedom I longed for, but just starting out was not going to require me to open any new bank accounts.
I also realized shortly after that period of time, that there was no way I was going to find the right guy until I healed some junk I'd been carrying around for a long time. The broken me attracted some sketchy characters. So, no rescue from Prince Charming.
And, it turns out, I really like to eat. So, although dieting always sounded appealing on Sunday night, by Monday afternoon I was eating something I judged as bad or food-immoral, and had given up on sculpted abs yet again. I was going to have to learn to live with this body.
Then came fitness.
Turns out my body could do some awesome stuff like run slow, long distances and lift weights.
I could make my way through a Hatha Yoga class and actually hold some of the poses.
I could do a plank.
I learned that my body loved to walk, and when I walked it gave my mind the boost it needed to start seeing things more clearly.
I also got to see amazing stuff just from walking. Metro Parks, Red Mountains, canyons.
I love that body. I am grateful for what it can do.
If I had been a good dieter, I believe I may have gotten that six-pack I believed would fulfill me, but I would also be a slave to the scale. I would get on it every morning and ask it, "Am I worth anything today? Am I good or am I a failure? Can I eat today? How much do I need to work out today?" No, thank you. I prefer to love myself at any weight.
Freedom isn't found in money or other people or our bodies. True freedom and peace of mind comes from knowing who we are, and that we are formed from worth and love. It's what we're made of. It's what lines each cell of our body. Muscle cell, fat cell, skin cell. All lined with worthiness and love.
Thinking this way takes practice and commitment. It's tempting when we overhear someone talking about their new diet/fast/cleanse/juice/pinkdrink/supplement. Let it go. Take care of yourself, lift weights, do yoga, walk or run because you're awesome and you want to see cool stuff!
We empowered women are on a different path. One rooted in truth, that doesn't demand any kind of performance or perfection to know we are already, at any weight, good enough.
The world says collect enough money and you will be happy.
Empowerment says find deep gratitude for what you have, and you will live abundantly.
The world says find the perfect relationship and you will be happy.
Empowerment says fall crazy in love with your own path, life and best self, then good relationships will come.
The world says sculpt the perfect body and you will be happy.
Empowerment says to practice love, acceptance and deeply honor the body you have
now, and you will begin to care for and see it differently.
When I first started working out, I was surprised how drawn to fitness I was. I was just coming off 17 years as a smoker, had recently been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, and was about to get a divorce. My self-worth was in the pit and I was desperately seeking Susan. I had no idea who I was and what made me happy.
I still believed all three of the lies listed above. If I could just get enough money, the right guy, and six-pack abs, I would be happy. I am so glad it didn't go that way.
About the time I got divorced in '03, I decided to become a personal trainer and leave my pretty-good-paying corporate job. Self-employment gave me the professional freedom I longed for, but just starting out was not going to require me to open any new bank accounts.
I also realized shortly after that period of time, that there was no way I was going to find the right guy until I healed some junk I'd been carrying around for a long time. The broken me attracted some sketchy characters. So, no rescue from Prince Charming.
And, it turns out, I really like to eat. So, although dieting always sounded appealing on Sunday night, by Monday afternoon I was eating something I judged as bad or food-immoral, and had given up on sculpted abs yet again. I was going to have to learn to live with this body.
Then came fitness.
Turns out my body could do some awesome stuff like run slow, long distances and lift weights.
I could make my way through a Hatha Yoga class and actually hold some of the poses.
I could do a plank.
I learned that my body loved to walk, and when I walked it gave my mind the boost it needed to start seeing things more clearly.
I also got to see amazing stuff just from walking. Metro Parks, Red Mountains, canyons.
I love that body. I am grateful for what it can do.
If I had been a good dieter, I believe I may have gotten that six-pack I believed would fulfill me, but I would also be a slave to the scale. I would get on it every morning and ask it, "Am I worth anything today? Am I good or am I a failure? Can I eat today? How much do I need to work out today?" No, thank you. I prefer to love myself at any weight.
Freedom isn't found in money or other people or our bodies. True freedom and peace of mind comes from knowing who we are, and that we are formed from worth and love. It's what we're made of. It's what lines each cell of our body. Muscle cell, fat cell, skin cell. All lined with worthiness and love.
Thinking this way takes practice and commitment. It's tempting when we overhear someone talking about their new diet/fast/cleanse/juice/pinkdrink/supplement. Let it go. Take care of yourself, lift weights, do yoga, walk or run because you're awesome and you want to see cool stuff!
We empowered women are on a different path. One rooted in truth, that doesn't demand any kind of performance or perfection to know we are already, at any weight, good enough.
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