Reimagining a Painful Body Image

I was thinking recently of how many posts I almost held back because of how self-absorbed they sounded:

• I've talked about how I once couldn't bear the thought of dying without having lost weight and lived in my “dream body”.

• I've talked about how my whole world revolved around trying to fix and improve myself.

• I've talked about the years of obsession with food, healing, and becoming my “best self”. It sometimes feels nauseating to show this part of my experience. But after years of work with clients, I know I far from alone in my experience. Trauma can make our worlds incredibly small.

When life in our bodies is so continuously overwhelming, it's easy to pin all our hopes for a 'fix' on one thing.

But as long as we're trying to fix what we perceive to be wrong with us, we're not listening. We're not present in the bodies we have now. Which again, if the bodies have now feel painful to inhabit, this is totally understandable.

Often the first work I do with someone when we're talking about food struggles or a painful body image is just...gentle embodiment. Supporting them in feeling a little safer in their current body. There's a time for mirror work, even sometimes gentle affirmations, but if we're not IN our bodies, or if life feels like it's on hold until we're "fixed"...those tools have limited use.

Whatever state your body takes, whatever transformations you go through, you deserve to feel safe and worthy of love where you are.

LINKS:
Reimagining the Body 30-Day Course (use the coupon code REIMAGINE2023 for 50% off in the month of November!)
Work with Rande
Free Spirit Academy on Instagram