In many ways, Pinterest motivates me, to create and bake and try new things. In fact, I love the site and spend too too too much time scrolling…scrolling…scrolling…
But unlike almost every other “pinning” girl, I do not have a fitness pinboard. Nope. No pinboard with crazy workouts and photos of ridiculously ripped and skinny girls doing pull-ups and push-ups and insane ab workouts. Why, you may ask?
Here’s why: because even though I’ve been a healthy weight my entire life, I (like many other girls), have really struggled with body image. And, for me, staring at tiny, beautiful, insanely fit women doesn’t make me feel even a little bit good about myself.
Surprisingly (maybe not surprising at all), those gorgeous supermodel 100 pound women put a damper on my self esteem and make me feel insignificant and insecure and just plain jealous. And if there’s any quote that I’ll stand behind, it’s
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” -Theodore Roosevelt
At the very core of who I am, I believe that each of us were knit together to be perfectly unique and perfectly ourselves and perfectly imperfect. Anything that pushes my heart to believe otherwise just cannot be a part of my life.
And in my little world, crazy-skinny fitness gurus on Pinterest are thieves of my joy because they cause me to compare myself to an impossibly high standard. Therefore, it has been my personal choice not to stare and gawk at those women.
Maybe those women and workouts really inspire you and don’t bring you down a bit. That’s fantastic, keep on keepin’ on.
As for me, I will choose to love who I am and shield my heart from things that deflate joy. So while I will exercise and live healthfully, I won’t have a fitness-motivation-workout Pinterest board.
Now there’s a quote I’ll pin. 🙂
What do you think? Talk to me. (Always be kind, or you'll be deleted!)