The Body Love Reflex

by Golda Poretsky, H.H.C.
www.bodylovewellness.com

Listen to the podcast of this post here!

I think it’s about time that I share another vaguely embarrassing story with you!

Last week, I took a moment to indulge in my latest self care obsession — mani/pedis.  There’s something so lovely and pleasantly mindless about picking out nail polish color, dunking your feet in warm water, and watching the Food Network out of the corner of your eye with a bunch of your neighbors.

Image From A 1936 Issue of Cosmo (Seriously!)

The woman who usually does my nails, Anne, is Korean and doesn’t speak all that much English, so most of our exchanges are of the “nice color!” and “it’s hot out” variety.  But the last time I went, as she was massaging lotion into my hands, some of the lotion got on my arm, accentuating my arm hair.  So she pointed at my arms and asked, “Wax arms?”

Now admittedly, even in my worst moments of negative body image, the hair on my arms wasn’t really a focus.  Though I distinctly remember a time in my teens when I was worried about my arm hair.  I even remember being a 14 year old camp counselor, sitting in a circle with other female camp counselors and distractedly noticing the color and volume of their arm hair.  I determined in that moment that while I had more arm hair than most girls, that it wasn’t enough to really be noticeable. Back then, I had bigger body hatred fish to fry, like my overall fatness.  If I could just get thinner, I thought back then, body hair stuff would be less important.

Even so, twenty years later, I was rather excited and a little surprised by the words that rolled out of my mouth when Anne threw out the “wax arms?” question.  I simply said, “No, thanks.  I know my arms are a little hairy, but they’re mine and like them.”

They’re mine and I like them?  It was amazing to hear myself say that.

Most of the time body acceptance is such an internal game, a practice of dealing with your inner critic, changing your inner dialogue, working through painful thoughts and feelings.  It takes a lot of work to go from the reflex of body hatred and criticism to body love and acceptance.  So it felt so good to realize that body love is a reflex for me, and one that I can really express and share with the outside world even when potential triggers get thrown my way.

Has this ever happened to you?  Have you ever had your body love reflexes kick into gear?

Here are just a few blog posts to get your body love muscles flexing.

And, if you want support to strengthen your body love reflexes, amp up your attraction factor, and practice love and dating from a place of self love?  If this sounds like fun, check out my new 21-day Body Love Makeover Attraction Program and I’ll see you in class!

3 thoughts on “The Body Love Reflex

  1. Fabulous story, Golda! I used to have a split reaction when they would suddenly offer to wax my chin & eyebrows. I’m a natural girl when it comes to hair and so this always struck me wrong…until I chose to accept all of me! <3

Comments are closed.