Thin is the New Happy

I remember one Sunday dinner at my parents' house, when it was still my house.
Misty and Ken were over for dinner (they used to come to Sunday dinner sometimes)
and mom was telling them this story:
"The other day we were at Deseret Book and I found a book on combating body image issues. I told Shar I was going to get it for her and she said, 'NO! I like my body image issue!'"

Mom was baffled by my response.
Misty laughed and replied something like, "I love us. We are so proud of every part of ourselves."

Which was true and still is.
I take immense pride in who I am.
Mostly due to my mom nurturing that in me.
And later, Misty and I sharing this odd little trait.

But I've decided I'm done with "liking" my body image issue.
I've found it's gotten incredibly worse over the past little while.
And then it's gotten immensely better
**dare I say..I think it's the tan which is so horrible of me***

So I picked up this book on Friday night and I finished it today, Tuesday. I couldn't put it down.
There was so much I could relate to.
SO MUCH!
I can't sing the praises of this book enough.
Sure there are a few bad words and some wild living in it...but it's GOOOOOD.

I fell in love with the cover first and foremost.
I had to read the back. I was sold.
So if the cover doesn't sell you...perhaps a few of these excerpts will?

"In the five months between diagnosis and death, Glenn relived his childhood struggle to gain weight. He dwindled to skeletal proportions. Watching the ravages of his disease was soul-and appetite--killing for me. I lost interest in food. I dropped twenty five pounds, and two dress sizes, seemingly overnight, effortlessly.
And I was thrilled about it.
Yes, my husband was dying. I was on the verge of widow-hood at thirty-five. My daughters were losing their father. I was lonely, frustrated, heartbroken, horrified by the toll illness took on Glenn and everyone else who had a front row seat. Still, despite the sorrow, I took supreme joy in my increasingly roomy clothing."

" ' Women our age our fighting a tougher battle than our mothers and grandmothers,' she said. 'They fought to be seen by men as more than decorative sexual objects, for he right not to be judged on their looks alone. Our generation is supposed to be CEOs, mothers, wives, expert lovers, have perfect bodies, run marathons, make a million dollars, be gourmet chefs, swing a golf club, never eat, never get tired. Men of any generation have never been asked to do what feminism asks of us. We are multitaskers but not superhuman. The standard of what is expected of us and what we expect of ourselves is too high.' "

"Among all oppressed peoples throughout history, we women hold the dubious distinction of being the only group to persecute ourselves."

"Perfectionism really is the enemy of happiness and success."

My verdict. Great book.
Wonderful insight.
Great ideas to break your own body image issues.
And I'm really going to try it.
Starting now!