we are made of star stuff ✨
The idea of being made of star stuff has always stuck with me.
I was curious, so I did a little research. This is what I found.
So are we really made of stardust?
Most of the elements of our bodies were formed in stars over the course of billions of years and multiple star lifetimes.
However, it's also possible that some of our hydrogen (which makes up roughly 9.5% of our bodies) and lithium, which our body contains in very tiny trace amounts, originated from the Big Bang.
source: Natural History Museum
Learn more in this NASA article.
How freaking cool are we? 💫
Our bodies deserve so much love and respect!
They truly are our divine temples.
This is why when I hear a woman talk negatively about her body or about dieting, it feels like a lightning bolt through my entire being. I can’t ignore it.
My heart breaks for her, for us.
I want her to know right then and there that she is enough.
That there’s so much more she has to offer in her life than the pull of gravity on her body.
That she is made of the same things as the beautiful stars.
As I now practice self-love + body-acceptance daily, I notice how often folks from all walks of life talk negatively about their bodies, “needing” to lose weight and what their food rules are (aka diets).
Even more specifically, how often women do this in circles with other women.
There is no shame here. This is just an awareness that I’ve noticed in our conditioning. This is a way (some) women have found connection with each other.
In my experience, I’ve made so many friends around the idea of “let’s lose weight together!” Our friendship revolved around what we’re eating, not eating, working out together or how much we lost on weigh-in day.
These days, though, to take the best care of my body and mind, I look for friendships that are built around deep personal and spiritual growth, instead. I seek connections where we lift each other up, and remind each other of our belovedness…just as we are.
I also workout in spaces that feel supportive and loving. My Pilates instructor (and now, friend🤍), Nicole, always creates a body-neutral and body-honoring zone. She orients us towards “honor where your body is at today” and “this is your practice.” She also protects our practice by fiercely + lovingly having a rule of not making fun of the body or thinking we should be farther along than we are.
She reminds us, it’s all okay. It’s all just right.
(This past Fall, I practiced and was finally able to do Short Spine on the reformer! I felt proud and strong. I’m so grateful for Nicole. She sees my strength, believes in me and coaches me towards pushing myself further.)
I believe with awareness, time and practice, we can all put down the negative self-talk once and for-all.
If you, too, have struggled with negative self-talk, here are some of the things I’ve done to help myself with this:
speak loving words about myself + body
lean into radical acceptance of not only my body, but all bodies
curate friendships that are all about raising each other up
lead with love + loving call another back to remembering their belovedness when I hear them bring themselves down
put down dieting and began focusing on hydrating my body, taking care of imbalances in my body (from excessive yo-yo dieting), getting curious about what food makes me feel better and what makes me feel gross (for example, raw peppers hurt my stomach, oranges feel like I’m eating sunshine and brownies feel like a warm hug)
found a workout that is the perfect balance of masculine + feminine energies (example: honoring my body AND asking myself how it would feel to go a little deeper in my practice)
If you tried this approach, what would be on the other side?
I can tell you from experience, it feels like a deep exhale, loving compassion, true connection, and peace.
Are you willing to try? I’d absolutely love to hear how it goes for you.
I love being a star with you, dear reader. ✨
Love, love, love,
Danielle
P.S. I know it’s hard to rewrite a narrative we’ve had for so long. I understand. I just ask that if anything, as of today, please, please, please do not talk negatively in front of a young girl or teenage girl about your body or diets. And, I hope it goes without saying, but just in case, please do not comment negatively on a young girl or teenage girl’s body (to them, about them, or about another’s body in front of them). Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 🤍
Again, no shame. Just an opportunity for us to do things differently and that lead to more love.