Post provided by Sydney Wise at http://kyliesmiles.blogspot.comWhen I first read through each of the 10 challenges, this one totally jumped out at me. Here's why... I'm a Carr, and I suffer from the Carr curse. Starting with my great-grandma Isabel, all of the women in my family have rather shapely, solid, and large buns and thighs, which we affectionately call the "Carr Legs". Each of my four sisters, my cousins, my aunts, and my grandma all have these legs and there's really no avoiding it.
Here's the problem: my legs bother me. I hate that when I buy pants, I have to buy them large enough to fit my thighs and butt (which makes them way to big in the waist). I hate that I feel self-conscious in skinny jeans and leggings. And I hate that most dancers have beautifully straight legs for nice lines, but mine are curvy. So for me today was all about making peace with my Carr legs. Here's what my goals were for today:
- Don't compare my legs with others.
- Don't put myself down when I looked in the mirror.
- Wear my skinny jeans.
- Walk confidently.
- Do a leg workout.
Today's challenge was not an easy task. I didn't just suddenly feel great about myself and my legs; I totally understand that it's hard to just "accept" physical attributes that you don't particularly like. But today I learned that making peace means shifting my focus. I know that I will never have stick skinny legs . . . I'm just not built that way and it's ok. Peace for me came when I stopped obsessing over something that I don't have.
Part of the challenge was to research the history of your particular trait, so I called my mom and asked her to tell me about my Great-Grandma Isabel (Izzy), the lady whose legs I inherited. She was more than happy to provide many stories. Grandma was a rockstar of a woman! She was very adventurous and loved hiking, snowmobiling, water skiing, and camping. She was doing all of these things well into her seventies! My great-grandma was seriously cool. Looking at her life made me realize that the things I remember about her have nothing to do with her size or legs. I only remember a sweet lady who loved to have fun and loved her family. She did amazing things with those legs and so can I! Her legacy is one of adventure and love and that's something that I'm proud to be part of.
Tomorrow's Challenge: Making Peace with Your Body
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