A letter to women

Dear us, 

I'm sorry. I'm sorry we are living in a society that values physical attributes more than character. I'm sorry we are made to feel less than, small, unworthy. I'm sorry we struggle to look in the mirror and smile. I'm sorry we haven't eaten a meat pie in 3 years.  

Can I tell you something? It wasn't supposed to be this way. We weren't designed to chase after a certain size or spend hours exercising into a certain shape. We were made for more. To be heard. To be truly seen. Loved. You don't have to be someone else. You don't have to fit into society expectations. You do not have to lose weight, eat clean, go gluten free. You do not have to wear make up or figure flattering clothes. You do not have to do it all.

I know it is so hard to be a woman today. We have so many choices, so much we feel we're supposed to do and also so much we want to do. We do care about beauty, we are natural cheerleaders and we want to live purposefully and passionately. But these innate desires and gifts are meant to come from knowing who we are and living from that rather than who we think we're supposed to be or what society wants from us. So can we choose a different way? A resolution with no diets in sight? A hunger for placing importance on the things that truly matter? 

Can we raise children who love their body for what it can do, who devour ice-cream, who praise people for their kind hearts?

Can we live out what we're passionate for and what we've been gifted to do? 

Can we only wear clothes that make us feel comfortable and lovely?

Can we do whatever movement is fun, exhilarating, relaxing?

Can we nurture ourselves with whatever food tastes most good? 

Can we only shave/pluck/wax what we want to?

Can we be as ok with wearing swimmers than trackies?

I say yes. 

How about you?

My hope is for you to feel lighter in your soul, to say no to the messages society gives us and to say yes to who you are. 

With fierce love and compassion,

Grace