Stand Tall
We aren’t even going to discuss how long it’s been since I wrote something – or the fact that I’ve started my last few posts with essentially that same phrase.
Today, as I continue my quest to get back on track with my life, something hit me.
I was in the ladies room, walking by the mirror and remembered that I’m trying to improve my posture – I’ve resumed morning yoga, and it truly makes a difference in how you carry yourself. So I rolled my shoulders and stood up straight and tall.
WTF?!?
Who are YOU???
The woman in the mirror grew by about 6 inches – ok, maybe 2. Her entire midsection slimmed down, she looked confident, happy, and overall just lovely. It was such a startling difference that I almost immediately released the stance. Slouched back over I looked sad and short (yeah, I *am* short, but that’s not the point). For a few minutes I stood in the mirror going back and forth – standing straight, hunched, tall, short, confident, beaten.
What was happening?
Then I realized that when we choose to stand up, to stand tall, it isn’t just about a physical change – although that is huge. It’s a feeling.
I want you to take a moment right now, roll your shoulders back in a circle, so they are down and your back straight. Lift your chin and imagine a string from the top of your head lifting your entire frame. See how that feels? See what it does not only to your body but your mind?
When we allow ourselves to focus on our physical presence and well being, it leads to better caretaking of our selves as a whole. If we get in the practice of being present, not hiding, not trying to diminish our personalities, we are capable of so many great things.
Life is hard. It is full of setbacks, stumbling blocks, things that will try to knock you down. The question is what do you do with those challenges? You can choose to lay down and succumb and believe that the universe is against you and everything you do will fail.
Why on Earth would you do that??
OR you can embrace the suck and move the fuck forward (thank you military guys for awesome phrases).
We try, sometimes we fail, we try again. I can insert a million platitudes here about life being about the journey or what doesn’t kill you makes you blah, blah, blah, but we’ve heard them all before. We know them. It doesn’t make it any easier to get through.
So we take the time to figure out what we need to do to overcome and move on. I’ve spent the last couple of years on a roller coaster of emotional turmoil. I’ve been to hell, played poker with the devil, and came back. Now I’m ready to reclaim my fabulous self.
Is it easy? Hell no. Of the 70 pounds I lost, I gained back 60. The chick who was working out 3 times a day, writing poetry and novels non-stop, being super mom/daughter/PTA leader/church worker/community activist/everything-else-I’d-become is so far gone from where I am right now. BUT, I am ready to get parts of her back. I’ll probably never be that exact same woman, but today I’m standing tall and looking forward to who I’m going to become next.
