Love.

That's it. But, I have a direction that I want you to channel that love: towards yourself. Your body, mind and spirit. It's a package deal and it needs some TLC.

We all have things that aren't 'perfect' by societal and media/marketing/advertising standards of the modern era, but don't let that stop you from loving yourself. Chances are you love the people around you, heck even your pets, and they aren't poster perfect... So why can't we love ourselves and overlook the minor things we may not love in ourselves the way we do in others?

As society progresses we seem to find new ways of body shaming from hair (too much or too little or in the wrong place on the body), to height, slim vs curvy, muscular or not, scars and stretch marks, size of feet, crooked teeth, and we can go on and on. Fashion and marketing changes - it has to or else we would be content to wear what we owned last season and we wouldn't buy what's in the stores currently. So it serves the industry's best interest to leave women feeling like they fall just short of where they 'need' to be to be beautiful.

It kills me a little inside when I have clients who are mothers who lament their body because of a cesarean scar, stretch marks, their 'poochy tummy' or other miscellaneous things that have changed her figure. Her body did something amazing: created and sustained a life until it was viable to come into this world and then she's spend uncountable hours nurturing that life. It's an experience that so many women and couples long for but their biology doesn't quite support that process for whatever reason. Celebrate your miracle of life and love because not everyone is blessed to go down that road.

Even if you have not had a child, please don't criticize yourself for being old, chubby, etc. Whatever you think is wrong with your body and you proclaim aloud, your body can hear it, yep it has ears.

I had a client who asked me last week why I didn't compliment her on her recent weight loss of 15 pounds. I would never dream to mention to someone who gained some weight, so why would I mention a weight loss? My theory on complimenting on people's weight is that if that person who received attention for losing the weight and then has a couple pounds creep back onto their frame and they don't receive the attention anymore do they feel like they're no longer worthy and attractive? Bodies were designed by nature to store and release energy for times of famine and disease and they're still excellent at doing that to this day. It's not my place as a Rolfer to comment on a person's body weight unless I feel that it threatens their health and believe me, I will find the most helpful and diplomatic way to broach the topic so that it's not taken offensively by my client.

Gentlemen, you're next. I'm not asking if you did one million sit-ups this year. Heck, I don't care whether you look like Hugh Jackman or Homer Simpson. I'm thrilled that you're seeking self care because our society doesn't always give men permission to look after themselves or let someone guide them in the path to wellness. If you think your friends will judge you because you're being 'pampered' just send them my way and I'll show them how not frilly Rolfing is.

Just don't show up in holy, stretched out and/or stained underwear, that's all I'm asking.

Self love and respect. No amount of shopping or gifts can bestow this upon you because it's found deep within us. It's a relationship and one that will take some work, but I promise it's worth it.

Balanced in Gravity