A NEW New Years

Every year, I work with a different women’s nonprofit and create for them a custom piece of jewelry to be sold as a fundraiser.

This year, I am creating a piece for Ophelia’s Place, a small nonprofit whose mission includes: “…Empowering individuals, families, and communities to redefine beauty and health through initiatives that increase self-esteem, improve body image and introduce alternatives to dangerous desires for perfection.”

I learned about this organization only because I drive by it every time I’m upstate visiting my parents. But after meeting the Executive Director and seeing the facility, I have to say I am blown away by Ophelia’s Place.

Since meeting with the ED, I’ve been thinking a lot about body image; my perception of my own body and how I observe the bodies of others. It’s the New Year, and for so many of us, a new year comes with resolutions to lose weight. January is often a month spent repenting for the holidays “transgressions” and trying to fix the imperfections we see when we look in the mirror. Of course, the problem is that once you become caught in the cycle of body-hatred, it’s pretty tough to get your mind to stop running that loop.

One of the handouts Ophelia’s Place distributes includes the list below. I’ve decided to make sticking to this list my resolution for the New Year.

Revolutionize Your World

*I choose to listen to my body.

*I choose to redefine beauty, success and health.

*I choose to believe I am more than a number on the scale.

*I choose to accept a compliment.

*I choose to challenge the distorted beliefs I have about my body and my worth.

*I choose to take up space in this world.

*I choose to stop the diet talk.

*I choose to throw out my scale and clothes that don’t f it comfortably.

*I choose to start meaningful conversations and getting to know my neighbors from the inside out.

*I choose to change the subject or walk away when the conversation turns to

berating our bodies.

*I choose to provide a variety of foods, none being labeled “good” or “bad”.

*I choose to not comment on my body, my child’s body or the bodies of others.

*I choose to listen harder to what my children are saying and not saying.

*I choose to celebrate others for the joy they bring to my life rather than how they look.

*I choose to give of my time and be a role model.

*I choose to challenge narrow thinking.

*I choose to spread the word that beautiful, healthy people come in all shapes and sizes.

*I choose to start living my life now!

For me, I think I need to make more of an effort to *accept a compliment* and to *change the subject or walk away when the conversation turns to berating our bodies* and to *choose not to comment on the bodies of others*

As for the custom necklace for Ophelia’s Place, stay tuned!