When we first moved into the studio we held off on getting mirrors for several reasons ranging from logistical to figuring out our preference. Are we one of those studios that have mirrors on every wall or a studio that has none?
They are definitely helpful in teaching movement, but often bring with them an equal amount of hindrance: it’s easy to become reliant on them to “know” if we are doing an exercise with as much accuracy as possible – so much so that we can’t feel effective in the exercise without them.
Mirrors can also become a judgmental distraction highlighting our perceived imperfections.
I was thinking about this when I considered self-love and self-care, with Valentine’s Day coming up. The discussion of self-love and self-care have become pretty trendy in the health and wellness industry, which overall I think is great. However, being the grumpy old lady I’ve been since infancy, I have the habit of being quick to roll my eyes when things get trendy…
and that got me thinking...
Me: “Why am I annoyed by it?”
Also Me: “Well, because it seems incessant.”
Me: “Hmm, why is it so incessant?”
Also Me: “I wonder if it is because for a lot of people our normal narrative more often includes self-criticism, judgment, and lack of self-worth?”
Me: “What if that wasn’t the case? What if we saw a decline in trendy self-love/ self-care posts because everyone’s baseline way of thinking was grounded in a place of self-acceptance? So much so that to converse with ourselves and each other from a place of self-love was just the day to day norm. I could get down with that for sure.”
#lookbetter
In an effort to be the change I’d like to see in the world, I’d like to plant the seed of a February challenge of sorts. A simple self-love challenge. No need to buy anything. Just take an extra minute (at most) each day to look in the mirror and practice saying something nice to yourself.
It could be an affirmation you’ve always liked, a compliment on the color shirt you chose to wear, noticing a good hair day, or practicing the lovely strangeness of saying “I love you” or “I appreciate you” to yourself in the mirror.
I know it sounds cheesy… I’ve seriously laughed at myself or rolled my eyes while trying this. It’s funny, though, because something did shift in me. It was both shocking and really nice to say that to myself. It made me think, why is this so strange and uncomfortable? It shouldn’t be.
I’m committed to doing this as well, and you better believe everyone in the studio is going to get a gentle push to try the same! I’m excited to hear and see what’s possible when we have an active appreciation and love for ourselves, so if you don’t follow us on Instagram or Facebook already, please do and share your insights!
Client Quote of the Month
"I was trying on dresses the other day and I thought to myself ‘ribs together, ribs together.’ I looked different in the dress; it fit better!" – Katherine L.
Upcoming Event:
Pilates for Better Sex
We are so excited to be hosting our first event of the year! In an effort to promote this idea of self-love from every angle we can, we are taking up the tough topic of sex.
There can be so much mystery, confusion, and even shame when it comes to sex, especially as it pertains to pelvic floor dysfunction. If we are having pain with sex, there is some exploration to be done.
Some of that could be consulting a pelvic floor specialist, which is why we have the amazing Kristin Sapienza of FemFirstHealth co-leading the workshop. Some of that could be learning more about your body and gaining awareness of what you can do to create a more healthy, pain-free pelvic floor. Sign up below to be part of the exploration in a safe and supportive environment.
(Please note that due to the sensitive nature of this workshop, the first iteration of it will be women only. Stay tuned for more opportunities to learn about pelvic floor health despite gender or sex.)