I don't know about you, but it's 3 weeks into January and I'm still seeing ads from weight loss companies promising that their program will take me from caterpillar to butterfly in the new year. Those before and after photos, meal replacement bars, and celebrity-sponsored "lifestyle change" programs try to lure us in with the promise that if you buy what they're selling you'll get the VIP pass to loving your body and living a fantasy life. Of course, while they're selli

It’s ok to waver in your self care. Even if you know what a difference it makes and you're struggling without it. Even if you’ve learned your lesson about going to bed on time many times over and you’ve slipped back into old patterns of putting it off. Even if you’ve worked to have a friendlier relationship with your body and today you’re really vulnerable and only feel negative thoughts. Even if you spent months getting into the habit of getting yourself to a wee

Do you wonder what it would be like to feel more comfortable and at home in your own skin? If judging yourself has gotten in the way of trying new things, practicing yoga, or enjoying other parts of life, join me for the Body Peace Retreat on Saturday, September 30! We’ll dedicate the day to trusting and embracing your body, just as you are, through yoga and self care. The retreat will include these guided practices: Beginner-friendly, body positive yoga. You’ll have th

A friend and I were talking recently about something frustrating we've noticed in body image conversations. The more we make strides in body positivity (and don't get me wrong, we have a looooooong way to go), it seems it’s a bit easier to accept the softness of women's bellies, maybe even celebrate the loveliness of them, as long as they've had babies. Then we can appreciate the bellies for what they've accomplished and created. Admittedly, that's pretty incredible! Here's

There was a time when I thought the number one most important thing that anyone needed to know about self care was how to get a good night's sleep. Later, I thought it might be exercise or stress management or deep breathing. I still think those things are important, but they are just things that you do to take care of yourself. Compassion is the actual foundation of self care. Once you can be compassionate with yourself through the full spectrum of your emotions, action

Don't forget to save your spot at the Self Care Day Retreat on May 7! Ever since I was little, my gap-free thighs have built friction when I walk that could set a fire. That friction has destroyed many beloved pairs of jeans. Today, I said goodbye to two trusty pairs of pants that have worn threadbare in the inner thighs: black exercise pants and a pair of skinny jeans. In the past, this would have sent me on a shame spiral that, yet again, my thighs betrayed me. My leg

A warm thank you to the 11 wonderful people who joined me at New Hope Camp for last Sunday’s day retreat! We soaked up the fall sunlight practicing yoga on the pond, and meditated to the sound of the breeze in the trees. The food was delicious, and the people made the day wonderful. I can’t wait to see you at the next one. Last Thursday was our Chapel Hill screening of Embrace, and more than 100 people gathered to watch the inspiring documentary! I loved hearing you laugh and

Prefer to listen? Click here. Maybe the rug in the living room was always hot lava and you had to leap onto the couch to keep from burning your feet. Maybe you had a mischievous invisible friend to blame for losing library books or trimming off the cat’s whiskers. Perhaps Barbie and Ken selflessly gave up their dream house to nomad My Little Ponies. Maybe you enlisted your neighbors to help you protect the backyard from the attack of nearby pirate ships. Hours could be los

Quick: describe your body in one word! Don’t think too hard, just spit it out. Now that it’s out in the open, how do you feel about how you described your body? Does it feel like a celebration of what it can do? A criticism of how it looks? Neutral? I’ve asked this question on Facebook more than once, and the public comments are mostly positive words. But later, in private, I hear words of struggle and resignation. If that’s the case for you, know that you aren’t

Every day, the news is full of yet another layer of heartbreak. So many kind, loving hearts are grieving around the world. Because of this, I’ve been second-guessing whether to write what I’d planned. I worried it might be petty to talk about making peace with our bodies at a time when violence seems to be everywhere we turn, and our action feels urgent. Then I attended a webinar led by the powerful Sonya Renee Taylor, the founder of The Body Is Not An Apology, and I was