The People Who Love You Aren’t Measuring Your Worth by Your Appearance

I know.

Some of you probably saw the title and immediately thought,

"Nope... don't have the energy for another body image conversation."

I get it. These conversations can feel uncomfortable.

But they're also the ones that seem to stick with us the longest.

Recently, a client shared something with me that I haven't stopped thinking about:

"I think it's realizing and reminding myself that others don't think about me as much as I think they do, and the people who care about me don't care what I look like, don't care if my hair is going grey or I've put on a few pounds."

We Spend a Lot of Time Worrying About What Everyone Else Is Thinking

I spend a lot of time with women. Women postpartum, women navigating menopause, women in their 70s and 80s, women recovering from injuries, women getting stronger, women getting older.

And regardless of age or stage, there's one thing almost all of us have in common: We spend a lot of time worrying about what everyone else is thinking.

We hesitate to wear shorts. We avoid photos. We worry someone will notice the cellulite.

The grey hair. The wrinkles. The extra weight. The loose skin. The slower pace.

And yet...

When I think about the people I love most in my life, I honestly couldn't tell you if they've gained five pounds. I don't notice their wrinkles. I don't keep track of their grey hairs.

Because that's not what I see when I look at them.

I see my sister, my friends, my clients. People I love.

What if the people who love us are looking at us the same way?

What if they're seeing our laugh before our wrinkles? Our kindness before our cellulite? Our strength before our size?

Maybe the harshest person looking at our body...

...is us.

Body Image Struggles Don't Magically Disappear

Now, I'm not saying body image struggles magically disappear once you realize this.

I still have moments.

I think most of us do.

But every once in a while, I remind myself of something simple:

The people whose opinions matter aren't measuring my worth by my appearance.

And maybe I shouldn't either.

Try This...

The next time you catch yourself criticizing your body, ask yourself:

Would I ever say this to my sister? To my best friend? To my daughter or niece?

If the answer is no, why is it okay to say it to yourself?

Sometimes we don't need to change our bodies.

Sometimes we need to change who's doing the talking.

💛 Liz

Body Image, Healthy aging, Women's Fitness, Menopause, Postpartum, Self-Talk, Body Confidence, Healthy Movement, Strength, Women's Health