Body Issues

Everyone has a right to feel about their body in whichever way they feel is correct. Someone who is at their ideal weight might look in a mirror or feel too skinny or too fat, while someone considered overweight might be the most confident person in the world. It is never okay to tell a person how they should or should not feel. We all are entitled to an opinion, but it is not our place to force them on anyone else. You can think that someone should dress or act differently, but ultimately it is their decision, and it is what they feel comfortable in. You have no say. Until you have experienced what they have been through, what molded them into who they are, you have no right to tell them what they can or can not think of their bodies. Your doctor can recommend things to improve your health but they can't force you to do anything you don't want to.

 For some people the treatment they received growing up might make them defensive, leaving them with something to prove; these people will deliberately do what they've been told all their life they couldn't do. For others, it makes them gun-shy and vulnerable to critique. Some few escape unscathed and survive to view the world through their own unique perspective. Depending on the circumstances, I know I fall into all of these categories.

I know that I am not ugly. I know that I am not fat. I know there are others with more severe issues with weight as well as issues with self esteem or self-image. However, that does not mean that you get to tell me that "oh, you're not fat, you can wear this or do that. I weigh this much and I do it." My personal issues are obviously not yours. You haven't had to go through what I have, so I don't appreciate your attempts to belittle my experiences, or brush off my fears as if they were inconsequential. It is not your place.

And frankly, it pisses me off.

Run for the Riders

This weekend I completed the Run for the Riders, a 5K benefiting the All-Star Equestrian Foundation. It was very fun, and I had a great time with the team I walked with. I met some very interesting people, and overall had an excellent time. I walked the entire thing, which was a first, since I usually tend to jog a large portion of it. Anyway, here's to a new month, and more successful endeavors.