When I was 5 years old, I shared a bedroom with my older sister. One day after a bath, I came into the bedroom dancing, wet body and all. I was using my towel as a prop. I was giggling and squealing with delight because I was having so much fun.
My sister said to me “you’re going to be a stripper when you grow up”. Whoa. Talk about raining on my parade. I was too young to know what a stripper was, but old enough to know from her sharp tone that it wasn’t a good thing. The message I got in that moment, loud and clear, was that being joyful and moving my body freely wasn’t what “good girls” do.
My sister and I are very close and though I have never asked her, I bet she wouldn’t remember what she said to me that day. But I do. Her comment shut me down. For a long time and even into adulthood, I shied away from expressing myself through my body. I felt shame about my body.
The good news is, I now love to move my body everyday. Daily exercise is my go-to: hiking, yoga, bootcamp, walking, a sweaty spin class – you name it. And I love, love, love to dance.
Has anyone ever said something to you that made you feel shameful that stuck with you?
I’ve moved through the feeling of shame many times. If I can do it, I know you can too.
I say:
Don’t let anyone throw water on your fire.
Don’t let what others say or think stop you from expressing who you really are.
Never minimize yourself, it’s okay to be shiny!
Ready to free yourself from what’s holding you back?