One of the biggest reminders during Lipedema Awareness month, is to find a way to love the body you have, right now, in this moment.
That is not always easy, but starting from a place of kindness towards yourself can change the outcome of all the efforts you put in to living with Lipedema.
Whatever we are thinking about ourselves, saying about ourselves, that is what our potential becomes. We are limited by our own thoughts.
So when you hate your body, when you live in negativity, then your body cannot improve.
No matter how much effort you put in to “Fixing” it, until you change how you see yourself, you won’t improve, and no change will ever be enough.
Instead of focusing on what you dislike about your body, focus on something you do like. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, slowly start changing how you see yourself, slowly change the way you talk about yourself.
I know this because I used to feel that way. Then one day I was in a seminar where the presenter said “treat yourself how you would treat a two year old child”; she asked us if we would talk to a child the way we talked about ourselves.
Tears streamed down my face, because I had a two year old child at home, my beautiful baby girl, who lights up any room she enters. I would never say the things I was saying regularly about myself to her, and I would jump all over anyone who tried to. So why was it ok for me to say those things to myself? It wasn’t. It isn’t.
So even though I have advanced Lipedema, that changes how my body looks, how society sees me, how I am able to move, and it sure tries to take away so much from those who have it, I had to stop hating my body. It is not my body's fault I have Lipedema.
I needed to refocus my attention, my anger and frustration, because what I was truly angry and frustrated about, is that Lipedema was first diagnosed in 1940 and little has been done in eighty years to help those with it, EIGHTY YEARS!
Then I began learning to love myself by stopping the negative self talk, It took time, it was not easy to break this habit. I started changing what body images were in my Instagram feed, by following body positive people instead of what society told me I should be seeing. By doing so, I could see bodies like mine wearing gorgeous clothing, I could learn where they shop; I could see bodies like mine being active, and see how they made modifications to do what they love.
I started finding ways I could improve my own body image. I love feeling strong, I’ve talked about this before, by strength training and getting stronger, I feel like I’m fighting back against Lipedema, like it doesn’t have all the control. I’m no longer a victim of it.
I cant change that I have Lipedema, so I can either give up and let it consume me, or I can take action, I can do something, every little effort I make towards my self care, makes me stronger emotionally, and physically.
The choice is yours, continue to live in self hatred and negativity, or start finding ways to love yourself. Show your two year old self how wonderful it is, right now, in this moment, and redirect your anger towards how little has been done for Lipedema. Start spreading awareness, in whatever way you can, take action!
Huge shout out to my dear sweet friend (and fellow Lipedema sister), the amazing Kathryn Max (formerly Kathryn Hack) for creating such beautiful body positive art. Contact Kathryn here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FatMystic
Trust me, seeing yourself as art will change your perspective, and it just might change your life ♥️
...and yep, if you didn’t already guess it, that is me in the picture.
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