Getting past wellness BS. . .
and towards body empowerment
Centering your own wellness can feel like swimming upstream in a society that values profits over people and tells us that some bodies are better than others. Choosing to love and honor the body you live in is a radical act!
Where does the road to body empowerment start? You are being inundated with messages about your body and what you should do with it and to it. You don't have to listen to corporate HR departments, managers, instagram influencers, and celebrities tell you that you need to practice self care and leave it at that. Is taking a bubble bath supposed to fix illness, exhaustion, burnout, or rage? You are constantly being told that if you're not doing well, it's because you aren't trying hard enough at wellness, or if you're not healing from illness, you're not doing the right things and you're not enough. This is, frankly, bullshit, and you don't have to take it.
Empowerment starts with learning. You might never have really learned much about your body. No one taught you that you are supposed to feel good, or how to do that. You haven't had loving and informed guidance about caring for yourself. Instead, you've likely had embarrassment, shame, judgement, and silence. Even going to the doctor-- an act that should be an expression of self love and self respect-- is often profoundly disheartening, disappointing, and disempowering.
You are dependent on the healthcare system for some things, and it knows that. The system doesn't have to be good-- it's probably the only option you have. When you are unwell, you're not at your strongest, and you wind up putting up with a sorry excuse for true care. How do you push back? You need:
Understanding that the system is the problem, you are not the problem.
Skills to make the system work for you when you need it.
A rich set of practices to nurture and care for yourself, whether you are sick or well.
Loving communities to share in this care.
We need a new paradigm of self care. Let's learn to work with our bodies, not against them. We can build sustainable practices to help keep ourselves well and support wellness in our communities. You can't buy this new paradigm, and you can't hack your way into it. But you can start learning, and bring your friends. Let's take back our power and take care of ourselves and each other!
Want to start on this journey?
You can take the class. Find out more in the intro video!
