LEB Workshop Assignment 1: A Letter to My Body

As previously mentioned here, I joined a fantastic body positivity workshop hosted by Leah over at JustMeLeah.co.uk. I missed the first two segments because I found out about it after it had already begun. I decided to make up the prior segments because I think they are essential to the process.

I thought that it would be fairly simple to write this piece, but actually it wasn’t. It was emotional. Each time I gave it serious and deep thought, and then began to write, I would feel sadness. I thought to myself, ‘Where is this sadness coming from?’ I think I know the answer. It was the realization of how I truly feel.  I feel that when I was growing up, I was ill-equipped to appreciate and understand my personal self-worth. I decided to write a letter to my body in the past, from the future.

Dear body,

I write this letter to you from the future.  Whenever you need to, pull me out, and read me. Always believe that you are beautiful, that you have value, and that you are a gift.

You will be viewed as physically unattractive by some people because you don’t fall into a certain weight range, because your hips are wider, because your legs are bigger, and even because you are covered in brown skin. 

Despite how you are viewed by others, you will learn to value yourself. Everything about you is unique, beautiful, and wonderfully designed. You will discover that everyone was not created to be the exact same size, to look the exact same way, or to have the exact same body shape. Endeavor to embrace the things about you that are different. From the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, each facet of you is a gift. Treasure the gift that is uniquely you. 

Let me tell you about you. You have full, thick, curly and wavy hair. Your skin is a beautiful hue of brown, and in the summer seasons it develops a glow. You have five fingers and five toes. You are shaped similar to a dewdrop, wider on the bottom than you are on the top. You have relatively good health as a child, and during your adult years. Your heart has no irregularities, and all of your organs work harmoniously together. You enjoy 20/20 vision, relatively good hearing, and almost perfect taste buds.  You bruise easily, but your bruises heal and eventually fade. Your arms and legs work just fine, and for 30+ years you will not suffer from any disabilities. 

Body, recognize that you are but a shell, or a vessel for the true person that resides within. Genuine beauty comes from that source, and radiates outwardly. Whenever you feel shunned, degraded, and even rejected by others because of your appearance, remind yourself: 

You are beautiful, you have value, and you are a gift.

Love,

Me 

This was a clarifying exercise for me, and I am happy that I decided to complete it. 

Check out Leah's post and the other lovlies that participated here.