A Surprising Discovery

Last night, I noticed for the first time that this striking woman doesn’t just have toned legs, she is also dramatically underweight.  I confirmed this fact with my husband, who described her extremely thin and “hungry.” I find it interesting that I never really noticed her malnourished state before, as it hit me like a ton of bricks last night.  Her shoulder bones were protruding significantly, her arms looked bony and spindly, and her breasts were almost non-existent.  How had I failed to recognize these features over the many months since I’d first seen her?

What We Focus On…

What I realized is that my lapse in notice was related to my area of focus.  I had been so steadfastly transfixed on this woman’s lithe legs that I noticed little else about her.  All I could see were those legs which I so deeply admired and coveted.  I’ve done the same thing with a close friend of mine as well as my mother-in-law.  Both women have long and lean legs and although both complain about their “potbellies” and the need to drop pounds in their midsections, I never noticed any excess weight on their frames.  Why not?  I only looked at their slim hips and thighs and pegged them as thin women as a result.  If I forced myself to shift my focus to their areas of discontent, I was then able to see that which they lamented.  It’s all about my focus, the filter through which I view myself and others.

Missing Tile Syndrome

This phenomenon reminds me of a concept introduced by Dennis Prager in his book, “Happiness is a Serious Problem.”  Mr. Prager wrote of something he termed the “missing tile syndrome,” the tendency we all have to focus upon what we view as our areas of lack.  An analogy is helpful here… Suppose you are in a beautiful church and stare up at the ceiling.  You see hundreds of mosaic tiles arranged in intricate designs and one gap where a tile used to be.  It’s highly likely that your eye will immediately be drawn toward the single missing tile instead of the many tiles that are in their proper places.  It is human nature to fixate upon whatever is flawed or missing around us, no matter how small.  This tendency is rampant, yet it is insidious in terms of the way in which it sabotages our happiness.

My Missing Tile…

For me, slim hips and thighs are a “missing tile.”  While I have many wonderful physical qualities, I do not have (and will likely never have) slim hips and thighs in comparison to the rest of my body.  Sadly, when I look in the mirror, my tendency is to fixate upon this one “missing tile” instead of admiring the many beautiful “tiles” which are present. I zero in upon what I see as my problem areas and fail to see the many positive traits which I possess.  Surprisingly, I seem to do the reverse with other people.  If a woman has lithe legs, that is where my eyes transfix, so I do not notice the protruding tummy which she may also possess.

A Common Phenomenon Among Women

I know I am not alone in my tendency to notice the positive physical attributes in others and the negative body traits in myself.  A friend of mine frequently comments on my thin and toned arms and labels me as too thin as a result.  She doesn’t even notice that much of my body is not at all underweight because she is so fixated upon my thin arms.  This same woman often jiggles her own upper arms and labels them as flabby and fat, so clearly slim arms are a “missing tile” for her.  She does the same thing with me as I did with the woman at the gym.

It is clear that “missing tile syndrome” is a big problem for many women in terms of their body image.  Many of us have become habituated toward obsessing upon our negative features while ignoring our corresponding positive features.  It’s no wonder that so many of us suffer from negative body image!

Dealing With “Missing Tile Syndrome”

So what can we do about “missing tile syndrome” once we know we have it?  Dennis Prager states that there are three primary ways to address this phenomenon:

1. Get that which you feel is missing.
2. Forget it.
3. Replace it.

Get It…

I will apply each of these proposed solutions to my thigh issue.  First, while my natural body type does not include slim hips and thighs, there are ways for me to achieve such a result.  I’ve tried various means of diet and exercise and have found that in order for my hips and thighs to match my ideal, the rest of my body is often too thin.  I could decide that such a state is perfectly acceptable or I could opt to undergo surgical procedures to reach my optimal physique.  Many women get liposuction as a means for achieving slimmer thighs, but I’ve decided I don’t want to risk the potential side effects of this process.  In addition, I continue to believe that I can learn to accept myself as I am instead of needing to radically change my body in order to be happy.

Forget It – Or Replace It

Dennis Prager’s second option is to forget one’s “missing tile.”  That is what I am trying to do with my thighs.  I have been striving to place my focus on other things instead of lamenting the fact that I was not blessed with naturally slim hips and legs.  The option to replace my “missing tile” is also viable for me.  I could choose to celebrate my lean arms, flat stomach, and narrow torso and dress in ways that enhance those areas.  In this regard, I would be replacing the one “missing tile” with the many beautiful and present “tiles” inherent in my physical being.

Shifting Focus

I know that I would be much happier if I could shift my focus to what’s right about my body instead of what I view as being wrong about it.  The “aha moment” I had at the gym last night made me aware of my need to expand my viewpoint of both myself and others to see both the good and the bad.  Not that I wish to disparage others – I don’t – but I do not wish to denigrate myself or my body any longer, either.

A Win-Win Proposition

It would be far more powerful for me to notice everything around me, take it all in, and then find areas to celebrate in both myself and others.  That way, I could praise the woman at the gym’s toned legs and my own lithe arms and slim upper half.  That would be a win-win proposition…  It’s all about where we choose to place our focus.  The power of focus can help us to be happier and have a more positive body image!

Related Posts:

• Self-Criticism and Body Image: How much time and energy do you spend disparaging yourself and your appearance?  This post looks at how damaging self-criticism can be and challenges us all to use the power of our thoughts and words to improve our body image.
• I Hate My…:  For as long as I can remember, there has been at least one part of my body which I have found completely unacceptable.  This hated body part hasn’t always been the same, but I can’t remember a time when I was not obsessing about some aspect of my body.   This post looks at the issues of self-criticism and body obsession and what these things cost us in terms of self-esteem and inner peace.  It ends with my commitment to break through my fears and embrace the use of empowering thoughts and language related to my body.
• No Bikinis for Me…: This post is about self-consciousness and the critical inner voice that we all have.  It highlights the ways in which my self-consciousness limits me in my life and my desire to break free from my self-imposed limitations.

Perpetual Dissatisfaction…

I believe that I am not alone in my perpetual dissatisfaction, not just with my body but with various aspects of my life.  This post focuses on the issue of human dissatisfaction, how it impacts our happiness, and what we can do about it.

Radio talk show host and author, Dennis Prager, devotes one hour per week of his national radio show to the issue of happiness.  A recent “Happiness Hour” was dedicated to the issue of dissatisfaction and how it relates to happiness.  Dennis’s core message was that we need to distinguish between dissatisfaction and unhappiness.  Unfortunately, most people tend to view these two states as synonymous when, in fact, they are not.  They believe that if they are dissatisfied with a key area of their lives (e.g. career, relationship, kids, etc.), they are unhappy with life in general.  What they fail to realize is this:

“If we could not be happy in spite of our dissatisfactions, the number of people who are happy would be close to zero!” – Dennis Prager

The Ups and Downs of Dissatisfaction

In truth, everyone is dissatisfied with some aspect of his or her life.  After all, if we were completely satisfied with every single area of our lives, we would cease to grown and evolve.  Some level of dissatisfaction is actually a good thing in that it keeps us reaching for more and propels us to set bigger goals and participate on a larger playing field in life.  Dissatisfaction becomes problematic, however, when we “marry” it with unhappiness in our psyches.  One of the keys to happiness in life is to be happy despite the fact that we are not completely satisfied with all aspects of our existence.

Compartmentalization Can Be Helpful

Sometimes it is helpful to compartmentalize our lives.  To use an analogy presented by Dennis Prager, the Titanic would not have sunk if its compartments had been watertight.  It sank because the ship was constructed such that water was allowed to seep from one compartment to another.  If we apply the same concept to our lives, we see that those who do not allow a crisis in one area of their lives to cast a dark cloud over all other areas are those who can remain calm through even the bleakest of storms.  In contrast, we all know people who become desperately unhappy when they experience a job loss, a break-up, or a financial set-back.

Dissatisfaction and Body Image

Let’s bring this discussion back to the topic of this blog, body image. For most of my teenage and adult life, I allowed my dissatisfaction about the number on the scale or the size of my thighs to impact my entire life happiness.  I would become miserable whenever I would step on the scale and see a disappointing number or anytime I would slip on a pair of jeans that felt a big snug.  I would take one small aspect of my life, a slight weight gain, and make it mean that I was a horrible, weak, and disgusting person.  A bad weigh-in or a difficult shopping experience would lead to my being despondent for days.

Wasted Minutes, Hours, Days…

I look back now on the many, many times I allowed my weight and shape to make me unhappy and I think, “What a waste!”  If I reflect upon my life over the years, I realize that I had many things about which to be happy.  Sure, I was not satisfied with my body, but did that really mean that my life was horrible?  Regardless of whether or not my body complaints were real or imagined (my husband insists that they are all in my head), the bottom line is that because of my body dissatisfaction, I did not allow myself to experience happiness in life.  That was – and is – truly a shame.

Societal Pressures Re: Weight and Shape

It’s tough to be a woman (or even a man, for that matter) in our society and be completely satisfied with one’s body.  After all, there is a lot of pressure to conform to societal ideals and we are constantly confronted with unrealistic images of models and actresses who appear “perfect” through the magic of Photoshop, camera angles, make-up artists, and hairstylists.  Even the most evolved among us will have moments or days when we feel less than thrilled with the image we view in the mirror.  But what we need to do is  not allow that dissatisfaction to permeate other areas of our lives.

Focus on the Positive, Change What Isn’t So Good

We need to focus on what we are happy about in life, not on our “dissatisfactions.”  If we are truly dissatisfied with an area of our lives, it is perfectly acceptable to try to change that thing for the better.  If we really are overweight, for example, our dissatisfaction can propel us to eat a healthier diet or start an exercise program.  That is the positive side of dissatisfaction and can be a good thing.  But please don’t allow a five pound weight gain to make you unhappy.  Don’t obsess about a single aspect of your life to the detriment of all other areas!

Vow to Remember Gratitude

I hope this post has provided some valuable “food for thought.”  I wish I could somehow regain all of the wasted hours, days, and weeks I spent being unhappy in life because my thighs were too big.  Although I cannot go back and change the past, I can vow to be different moving forward.  As I work to become more accepting of both myself and my body (and I am making progress!), I will do my best not to collapse dissatisfaction and unhappiness.  I will strive to remember all of the many positive things in my life when faced with what I see as my less than perfect hips and thighs.  I will remember how very much I have to be grateful for in life.  I hope you will do the same…

Related Posts:

• Weight and Mood:  Does your weight affect your mood? Mine definitely does… Nothing has the power to deflate my spirit and ruin my day as much as seeing a number on the scale that I view as unacceptable. I wish this wasn’t true, but the sad reality is that I allow a three-digit number to dictate my moods.  In this post, I explore the phenomenon of “weight mood shift,” examine Louise Hay’s philosophies on this issue, and look at some ways that we can treat ourselves with more love and kindness in the face of weight gain.
• I Hate My…:  For as long as I can remember, there has been at least one part of my body which I have found completely unacceptable.  This hated body part hasn’t always been the same, but I can’t remember a time when I was not obsessing about some aspect of my body.   This post looks at the issues of self-criticism and body obsession and what these things cost us in terms of self-esteem and inner peace.  It ends with my commitment to break through my fears and embrace the use of empowering thoughts and language related to my body.
• Self-Criticism and Body Image: How much time and energy do you spend disparaging yourself and your appearance?  This post looks at how damaging self-criticism can be and challenges us all to use the power of our thoughts and words to improve our body image.

If someone were to ask you if you love yourself, how many of you would reply with an enthusiastic “Yes”? How about if you were asked if you love your body? I know that for most of my life, I would have found both questions absurd. I definitely and unequivocally did not love myself or my body.

For years, I was my own worst critic. I would unleash a torrent of criticism upon myself on a daily basis that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. In fact, I was my own worst enemy. Nothing I could do was ever good enough for me; my standards were impossibly high and there was no way I could reach them. While my targets for accomplishment and success were virtually unachievable, my standards for my body and physical appearance surpassed them by leaps and bounds.

Specter in the Mirror

I would look in the mirror and pick myself apart mercilessly. My hair was frizzy, my face was blotchy, my nose was too big, my hips were huge, and my thighs were completely unacceptable! These are just a few of the criticisms that would play like a broken record inside my mind. My self-criticism and overall negative attitude toward my body propelled me into a long battle with anorexia and bulimia, a struggle which almost killed me during my teens and twenties. Even after I managed to pull myself out of the depths of that battle, the criticism did not end. I was ruthless in the way that I’d pick myself apart, and all compliments from others would be quickly negated inside my mind. I just wasn’t pretty enough, thin enough, firm enough, or anything enough…

The Toll of Self-Abuse

The years of criticizing my body have taken a toll on my psyche and my health. Although I have become decidedly more kind toward myself and my body in recent months (partly as a result of my healing project), the damage has been done. I am convinced that the laundry list of health issues from which I suffer can be attributed to the years of self-flagellation.

Think about it… How would you respond to a person who continuously berates you? Would you thrive and shine in that person’s presence, or would you wither and fade? The way in which my body has responded to my abuse is no surprise to me. As Louise Hay and other wise spiritual teachers have written, our thoughts create our reality. The reality of my physical body has been shaped by what I have continually thought over the years.

My husband has frequently commented on how mean I was to myself in my words. Sadly, my unkind words paled in comparison to the ferocity of my internal dialogue. I have created my poor health of the present time. I take responsibility for that, as sad and defeated as it makes me feel today.

Learning to Love Myself

I am not an unkind person. In fact, I believe I have a good and kind heart. It is time for me to direct that kindness and compassion toward myself. It is time for me to treat myself the way I would treat a person I deeply love. In truth, I have learned to love myself in recent years. I have learned to appreciate my uniqueness and my good qualities. I am finally able to say – and mean – those simple but difficult words, “I love myself.” I can even speak those words while staring into my own eyes in the mirror, yet tears always well up in those same eyes. Likewise, I find myself becoming tearful as I express these sentiments today…

Ending the War with Self

The tears are for the years of self-hatred, for the wasted time during which I was at war with myself and my body. Although I would love to recapture those lost years and circumvent my current health challenges, I can only live in the moment and move forward. Hopefully, I have many years ahead of me during which I can live peacefully with myself and my miraculous body which has survived despite years and years of punishing abuse.

Responsibility is Powerful

Some of you may identify with what I have written. I know that many people are tremendously hard on themselves and their bodies. We can blame society and the unattainable standards that are set out for us by Hollywood and Madison Avenue. But while society can and does play a role in our self-image and body image struggles, the ultimate responsibility falls upon us. That is good news because it means that we have the power to transform our thoughts and attitudes.

Moving Forward…

How do we do that? Let’s take some tips from Louise Hay (from “You Can Heal Your Life,” page 23):

“Loving the self, to me, begins with never ever criticizing ourselves for anything. Criticism locks us into the very pattern we are trying to change. Understanding and being gentle with ourselves helps us to move out of it. Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”

I Approve of Myself

I have been repeating the affirmation, “I approve of myself,” over and over inside my head for months now. It is a simple affirmation that I think whenever it comes to mind. I use this affirmation to cancel out self-criticism when I become aware that I am thinking negative thoughts about myself. Although I know it will take time to undo the effects of my many years of self-abuse, affirming approval of myself is starting to have a positive effect on me. I am beginning to notice my negative thoughts more readily and can more easily release them and replace them with more beneficial thoughts. It is becoming easier for me to think kind and loving thoughts about myself. I am experiencing small but noticeable “pockets” of inner peace in my days, and that gives me hope for the future.

Hope to Soldier On

The journey to heal my health and my life is a challenging and tumultuous road with many twists and turns. I am humbled on a regular basis by the ebb and flow of my numerous health issues which only seem to crop up again just when I feel they may finally be behind me. Yet I have hope and that allows me to soldier on with my healing project.

I believe that the key to healing is in self-acceptance. In the spirit of hope, I close this post with another quote from Louise Hay, one which provides hope for us all for a peaceful and powerful future:

“I find that when we really love and accept and APPROVE OF OURSELVES EXACTLY AS WE ARE, then everything in life works. It’s as if little miracles are everywhere. Our health improves, we attract more money, our relationships become more fulfilling, and we begin to express ourselves in creatively fulfilling ways. All this seems to happen without even trying.”

I started this blog in May 2010 and have made 28 posts to date. Regular weekly posts will resume next week (and will continue at least through May 2011 – possibly longer).

Which Posts Were Tops?

I have designated the following posts as the “Top 10 Posts of 2010.” This designation was made based upon several criteria:  post popularity, comments and feedback from others (either directly on the blog or to me personally), and my personal feelings about which posts were my best of the year.   The posts are listed from most recent to least recent and a post summary is included.  To read a post in its entirety, click on the post title.

Happy New Year!

I hope you enjoy this recap of the best “Body Image Rehab” posts for 2010.  I wish you health, happiness, and peace in the coming year.  Here’s to loving and accepting our bodies in 2011!

Top 10 Posts of 2010

Body Image Role Models (12/2/2010):  A lot of attention is given to celebrities who have enviable figures and many of us also know “real people” with amazing physiques.  Seeing beautiful bodies can either motivate us or deflate our spirits, depending upon our mindsets and how we feel about our chances for achieving our body goals.  While it can be helpful to have body role models, it is even better to have body image role models, especially for those of us who are working to rehabilitate a negative body concept.  This post highlights a few of my personal body image role models and shows what I have learned from the women in my life who embody healthy attitudes toward their bodies.

Searching for Balance (11/12/2010): For most of my adult life, I’ve either weighed too much or too little.  In fact, I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve been at a happy, healthy, and comfortable weight.  Although I really want to believe that I can turn this around and find balance in this area, it’s sometimes difficult to remain optimistic…This post focuses on my struggle to maintain my weight and looks at some of the potential reasons for this phenomenon.  I also explore ways we can all achieve balance in terms of our weight and self-image.

A Letter to My Body (10/22/2010):  I have been engaged in a war with my body for most of my life because it didn’t look the way I wanted and didn’t fully adhere to societal ideals.  As a result of this blog and other personal growth efforts, I have made substantial progress toward learning to love my body.  In this post, I wrote a letter to my body as a way of expressing appreciation for all it’s done for me over the years and to ask for forgiveness for the many ways I’ve abused myself physically in the past.

Size Obsession (9/30/2010):   Are you obsessed with the sizes of your clothing?  Do you refuse to buy an item if it is a larger size than you normally wear?  A recent article on the Weight Watchers website describes this phenomenon.  This post summarizes the article and explores the issue of size obsession by women in our society.  I also write about the win for curvy ladies represented by the winner of “She’s Got the Look,” the modeling competition for women over age 35.  It is refreshing to see a shapelier model being embraced by the industry!

I Hate My… (9/9/2010):  For as long as I can remember, there has been at least one part of my body which I have found completely unacceptable.  This hated body part hasn’t always been the same, but I can’t remember a time when I was not obsessing about some aspect of my body.   This post looks at the issues of self-criticism and body obsession and what these things cost us in terms of self-esteem and inner peace.  It ends with my commitment to break through my fears and embrace the use of empowering thoughts and language related to my body.

Weight and Mood (9/2/2010):  Does your weight affect your mood? Mine definitely does… Nothing has the power to deflate my spirit and ruin my day as much as seeing a number on the scale that I view as unacceptable. I wish this wasn’t true, but the sad reality is that I allow a three-digit number to dictate my moods.  In this post, I explore the phenomenon of “weight mood shift,” examine Louise Hay’s philosophies on this issue, and look at some ways that we can treat ourselves with more love and kindness in the face of weight gain.

Self-Criticism and Body Image (8/26/2010): How much time and energy do you spend disparaging yourself and your appearance?  This post looks at how damaging self-criticism can be and challenges us all to use the power of our thoughts and words to improve our body image.

Fashion Isn’t Frivolous (8/13/2010): Fashion is much more than a shallow pursuit!  What we wear has the power to help us improve our body image and increase our self-esteem.  In this post, I share how fashion has helped me to take more pride in my appearance and my body.

Just What IS Plus-Sized? (7/27/2010):  After reading an article in People Magazine about size 10 “plus-sized” model Crystal Renn, I decided to write about how outrageous the definition of the term plus-sized has become.   The fashion industry as a whole has an extremely unbalanced and unrealistic concept of what sizes models should be.  In fact, the average “straight-sized” fashion model now wears a size 0 or 2, and size 00 is becoming increasingly common!   I think it’s time to stop the insanity in the fashion world and emphasize health and fitness for models over extreme thinness.

Body Confidence (6/21/2010): Not everyone suffers from body image issues.  There are those who display confidence and self-love regardless of their shape or size.  The beautiful plus-size model Ashley Graham is one such individual.  This post highlights some lessons we can all learn from Ashley about body confidence and self-love.

We often hear about the negative effects of the media and the damage created by trying to live up to celebrities in terms of beauty and thinness.  While it’s true that many stars are not good role models for young (and older) women, there are some who buck that trend.  I have written about a few of them in previous posts and will continue to share stories of women in the limelight who possess refreshingly positive attitudes related to the topics addressed in this blog.

Positive, Uplifting Celebrity Quotes

I also keep a file of positive quotes from famous women on the topics of body image and self-esteem.  Today’s post shares a few of these quotes from celebrity body image role models, as well as my commentary on what they have to say.   The women quoted represent various professions – an athlete, a model, a singer, and a reality TV star – but they all have powerful insights to share with those of us who are working to rehabilitate a negative body image.  It is my hope that you will gain a few tidbits of wisdom or “aha moments” from reading the quotes below.

Beautiful Inside and Out!

“What I’d like to teach my daughter about self-image and self-esteem is that you’re beautiful on the inside and the outside, and not to get obsessed with pictures that are out there in magazines of skinny models.  I had an eating disorder in college and wanted to look like those models and be thin.  So I’ll probably share that experience with her and let her know that you’re beautiful just the way you are.” – Dara Torres, Olympic swimmer and mother to a 4 year-old daughter

I have been a fan of Dara Torres for years, both for her athletic prowess and her tenacity to keep pushing herself to succeed at an age when most people in her sport have hung up their goggles.  Now I can add another item to my list of reasons for admiring this remarkable woman.  She is striving to cultivate a healthy body image and self-esteem in her young daughter and hopes to spare her from the pain that she herself endured while growing up.

Parents really can have a positive impact on their daughters and help mitigate some of the damage caused by the unrealistic standards perpetuated by the media and entertainment industries.  Dara is sending a positive message to her daughter that we should cultivate both inner and outer beauty – and above all, self-acceptance!

A Healthy Perspective on Aging

“The ultimate beauty secret for a woman getting older is, don’t be too thin! It’s always better to have a little meat on your bones.   When you are just muscle, you end up being gaunt in the face, and that makes you look older by 5 or 10 years.”

“I don’t have anxiety about [getting older], so I’m not running to get Botox.  Maybe that will change, but I don’t think so.  I feel comfortable in my skin and comfortable with aging, so I think it’s okay that I get wrinkles.” – Heidi Klum, supermodel and creator/host of “Project Runway”

Heidi Klum has always looked both beautiful and healthy.  While she is still quite slim and has nary an ounce of fat on her, she isn’t as thin as she was in her modeling heyday.  There is no question, however, that she looks young and vibrant.  Her attitude toward aging is a healthy one.   It may help that her heritage is German instead of American.  I’ve found that European women don’t tend to be as obsessed with being wrinkle-free as American women are.  Perhaps that’s because older people are celebrated and respected in other cultures more than in our culture.

Whatever the reason for Ms. Klum’s attitude on growing older gracefully, it’s a welcomed and refreshing message!  I join her in eschewing Botox and other such anti-aging treatments.  I do my best to take care of my skin, but I’m a 44 year-old woman and it’s okay for me to have some wrinkles!  I don’t need to look like I’m 20; I just want to look like the best possible version of myself.

Accentuating the Positive

“I am not a sample size, and I am okay with that.  I’m good with who I am.  I like to accentuate the positive.  My waist is something I love to show off.  I’m also happy that more and more women are embracing who they are, because everybody’s different.  You don’t have to be a size 0 to be pretty.  You just have to be comfortable with who you are.” – Jordin Sparks, American Idol winner

I think that all women should strive to identify and accentuate the positive aspects of their bodies instead of lamenting the aspects which they feel are flawed.  We all have positive attributes that can be highlighted and celebrated, regardless of our size.

Most women are unable to achieve a model-thin figure without excessive diet, exercise, and obsession, but we all can look our best and show off our best traits.  For me, it’s my arms and shoulders.  I am blessed with toned and slender arms and broad, square shoulders.  I do my best to highlight those features through the way I dress.  I am also grateful for my height and long limbs.  I am much happier when I reflect upon my positive attributes than when I curse my hips and thighs.  It’s all about where we place our focus!

Embracing Your Curves

“All my friends were super-skinny.  I watched my mom and she helped me with my outlook.  I have curves and that’s never going to change, so I’d better start embracing them.” - Kim Kardashian, reality TV star and entrepreneur (on growing up in Hollywood)

Kim Kardashian is echoing the positive message expressed by Jordin Sparks above.  Ms. Kardashian not only embraces her curves, she is known for them and has become a very wealthy woman as a result of being the “poster child” for curves in Hollywood.

I, for one, am happy to see women with curvier bodies becoming famous and being regarded as sexy and beautiful in our society.  Had Kim Kardashian hidden her curves or dieted down to a standard Hollywood body type, I doubt she would be as successful and famous as she is today.  She also embodies confidence and self-acceptance, which are as sexy as her curves, in my opinion.  Kudos to Kris Jenner, Kim’s mom, for teaching Kim to be proud of who she is and to love herself and her curves.

More Quotes to Come, Feedback Welcomed!

I know that there are many more celebrity body image role models out there. I will continue to collect celebrity quotes, so you can look forward to future posts on this topic.  If you have any quotes you’d like to share, I welcome your feedback!  I also welcome your comments on this post or any other “Body Image Rehab” post.  Just click on the “Leave a comment” link below the title of any given post.

Related Posts:

• A Few Good Articles…:   I like to highlight articles I read in various publications related to body image issues.  This post summarizes and links to three recent articles that I found interesting and insightful.  Two of the articles are about how reality television stars are changing body ideals in our society, while the third article focuses on learning to love our own unique beauty.
• It’s All Relative:  One maxim that is true in many areas of life is, “It’s all relative.” This saying especially holds true in the area of body image.  Gorgeous models and actresses are not immune to body image issues. On the contrary, they are especially prone to disliking their bodies despite being praised and adored by the masses.  This post summarizes two recent magazine articles, one about a supermodel and one concerning a famous actress, which perfectly illustrated that celebrities are just like us in terms of their body insecurities.  The articles illustrate just how pervasive body image issues are for women in our society.
• Viva Christina Hendricks!:  I always love when a woman with an alternate body type rises to fame in film or television.   I think it’s good for young girls to witness other types of bodies on the big or small screen, especially since most women are not naturally a size 2 or 4. One such woman who has recently appeared on the Hollywood scene is Christina Hendricks, the lovely actress who plays Joan Holloway on “Mad Men.” Her shape is a pronounced hourglass and she proudly shows off all of her gorgeous curves, both on “Mad Men” and on the red carpet.  She also embodies a healthy body image, as well as a generous dose of self-esteem, and is a wonderful role model for women of all ages.