It’s my body. If I am overweight by societal standards or some height/weight chart, my body does not need to be starved in order to fit in. My body will be the size it is supposed to be if I am taking care of myself. I will not fight it.
It’s my body. If I go out on a date and a guy buys me dinner, I do not owe him a kiss or anything else. A simple, “thank you,” does the job just fine. Despite what society might say, my body is not my currency.
It’s my body. If I overeat at a party today, because the food is just so good, I do not need to restrict or over-exercise tomorrow. My body needs to be nourished, everyday, and never deserves to be punished.
It’s my body. If I have been abused, my body does not deserve to be hated. My body is not disgusting because of what someone else did to me. My body is not something to feel ashamed of or to hide. I cherish my body.
It’s my body. If I am sick, I need to give my body rest and do whatever it takes to get well. My body is not invincible. It is fragile. I must not abuse it with food, alcohol, drugs, or anything else. I must take care of it.
It’s my body. Today my organs are nourished and can function properly. I get enough sleep. 
I am strong. I do things that feel enjoyable like hiking, swimming, getting a massage, yoga, or even kissing my date — when I choose to do so.
It’s my body. I do not look like you or anyone else. You might be taller or thinner than me. By societal standards, you might be prettier than me. But you are not me. And I am not you.
It’s your body. Respect it. Nourish it. Love it.
Jenni Shaefer will be a guest on The Sheri and Erin Show on February 18, 2010. You can visit the show page to set a reminder before the show so you won’t forget. Also, if you see this post after February 18 you can listen to the archive.
Here’s a link directly to Jenni Shaefer’s interview. You can listen to the archive using the player below.
Appointed to the Ambassador Council of the National Eating Disorders Association, Jenni Schaefer is a singer/songwriter, speaker, and author of Life Without Ed and Goodbye Ed, Hello Me. She is a consultant with the Center For Change in Orem, Utah and Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit www.jennischaefer.com.
Does the story about your past hold you back? Do you sometimes believe that you can’t possibly break free? 
Last night, I did a presentation at the Whole Foods market in Torrance titled: Become Your Own Superhero – Slay the sabotuer and reclaim your life. 
Somewhere along the line I got the message loud and clear, it’s better to be cool than uncool and somehow, my concept of cool was equated with a James Dean type character – rebel without a cause. My life choices and relationships reflected this value. I thought the rebels were cool and I wanted to be like them more than I wanted to be like the “uncool” people. This had it’s upside and it’s downside. 
The downside is, I did all those self-destructive things associated with the rebel, including smoking, drinking, drugs and generally disregarding the rules and defying authority whenever possible…sometimes to my own detriment.
Do you have a creative idea brewing in your mind, just waiting to be expressed? Have you sensed or been told that you are standing in your own way of making it happen?
This past week I had the opportunity to speak to a philanthropic group of women at a home in Downey. I was able to share my story and it was well-received. 
