Stay
Anyone else have those days? When the things that you say to yourself about yourself are not the most gentle or generous?
I KNOW THAT I DO.
I want to clarify something about the tone that I use on social media.
There is a very specific reason that I am emphatic about having a strong weight-inclusive, HAES® informed message. There is a very specific reason that I am direct in messaging about all things eating disorder recovery. There is a very specific reason that I am unapologetic about moving away from all things diet and wellness culture. There is a very specific reason that I speak about body image and body acceptance in the way I do. There is a very specific reason that I don’t mince words about wellness culture interventions for chronic conditions.
There is a very specific reason that I say hello and send best wishes on my stories. Daily.
The reasons that I show up in this fashion is because diet culture is unapologetically loud. Eating disorders are convincing and noisy and persistent. Wellness culture is pervasive.
I am one voice. More specifically, I am one person. I can’t beat wellness culture or eating disorder messages, and I certainly can’t beat diet culture. But it matters to me that I show up with an assertive voice. Because the voices I’m combatting? They are super assertive. And are going nowhere.
The reasons that I am this assertive? They have names. They are people. They are my clients, my colleagues, my friends. Sometimes, they are for me.
The reason my tone is different in my daily hellos? Because I am a whole human.
I am fiercely protective of this space. And sometimes, I’m going to miss the mark. Sometimes I’m going to take things seriously, too seriously. Sometimes, I feel like I could show up here better, more. And then, I breathe. And I know that the people who are here, are meant to be here.
So while I might not be the best person to talk to about myself today, I’m still here. And you might not be the best person to talk to about you today, either.
But stay. Offer yourself COMPASSION. Check in again later.
