Body shaming has been around for a while, but social media brings it to a whole new level with its anonymity. While some body shaming stories go viral and have a happy ending (like the Dancing Man), most of them just get lost in the sea of online clutter–but not for the people they target.
Instead of deleting judgmental comments she got as response to a post on Instagram, yoga teacher and author Kathryn Budig chose to stand up.
Kathryn Budig in Yoga Journal: The magazine cover that caused body shaming comments
“No one needs to change something to fit into a societal box. We are perfect exactly as we are.”
In her talk at MindBodyGreen’s Revitalize summit, she shares her personal body shaming story, and invites you to focus on what matters most: your soul, your essence and your offering to the world. Not on your physicality, or as she affectionately calls it, “the meat suit.” Your body is a vessel that works hard for you, it’s proof that you’ve lived.
So next time you scroll through your Instagram feed, before you let in any jealousy or judgement, remember that you have your own path. Honor and own it.
The way we use words is like casting a spell. Use them wisely. That goes both to talking about others, and about yourself.
Watch the full talk, “I am a real woman is so is every other woman” on MindBodyGreen.com.
