Tonight’s talk was exciting because it had potential to make me feel very vulnerable or really empowered. I find it difficult to openly discuss body issues because there’s no metaphor to imagine — our bodies are right there in the open, the “elephants” in the room (only joking). That’s why I wish we had more time to get to know the people in this group. It’s difficult to be honest about my body image to myself, and it’s even harder to try to communicate my thoughts in front of strangers.

The talk was divided into Food, Exercize, and Body. Through these topics, we learned how the first step to loving your body is FEELING your body. The coolest exercise for me was drawing my full body and writing things I liked about myself. I did not think it would be such a challenge. The problem wasn’t coming up with things I liked or didn’t like about myself… it was openly “sharing” it with the group by writing it down. I felt uncomfortable writing down that I liked the way butt looked, or the shape of my eyebrows. I had trouble honestly drawing the outline of my thighs. I was constantly censoring myself from myself and others.

I hope to continue to be aware of my body, and notice what I am happy with. Like Lyn Staack said, although you can’t change a lot of things in this world, you can stand a little taller. This simple-sounding yet bold move can change how you feel, and you and other people will notice the difference.