"Beauty is not how skinny you can be"

I have been trying to help a friend recently who suffers form an eating disorder and it made me realise something- even people who do not have ED's suffer from a distorted view of beauty and how we should be.  I know that I do- and I have yet to meet a single person who does not have a wish to look a bit different, be a bit thinner, all because of today's portrayal of what we should look like.  So while I was doing some research for her I came across this video on youtube.  It is beautiful.  Ok, slightly Alice in Wonderland-ish at times but if only we all had the same view point as this little girl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULtU2NfPQA&feature=player_embedded


I personally am exactly the same as all those people out there who aren't happy with who we are.  There is always something I want to change.  But I have grown to realise something recently- as long as we are being healthy physically, emotionally and spiritually then it shouldn't matter if we are a size 12 or a size 2, tall or short or anything else.  I know that God would not want us to abuse our bodies- with drugs, alcohol. . .or even food!  He loves us and gave us our bodies, so starving that body I really don't think is a good thing.  Who cares if you won't fit into that size?  If you are healthy, then the size you are at is your right size.

I wanted to write about this today because it is something i have thought about a lot in my life.  As a gymnast and dancer when I was younger I was pressured into being a certain size and weight by my coaches, and this gave me very unhealthy habbits which I am only now beginning to break.  And as I try to regain my own healthy habits I have looked to friends and friends have come to me for help to.  Its a huge problem today which I don't think is addressed enough.

I personally can think of about 17 of my friends who have currently or have had an eating dissorder in their lives.  The youngest one was 6 years old when it started.  That is not ok!

I have challenged myself to be healthy, and the changes I have seen have been fantastic!  My body hasn't changed all that much, because good change happens slowly.  But my mind and my attitude have changed so much.  Dont be put off course by societies faulty guide to beauty.  Or celeb fad's.  Or anything which isn't good and beneficial to mn, but be yourself, be healthy and be happy!  I would hate to think of Emily growing up to think she had to change who she was just to be 'beautiful', but its us who have to make our friends, family and the next generation as well as ourselves know what it truelly means to be beautiful.

Hope this hasn't been to intense a post- I'm usually a pretty lighthearted person and writer.  But sometimes things just make you realise how much un-needed suffereing goes on which could be changed so easily- just by changing an attitude.

:)  Be happy!! x