A piece on self-acceptance — A year of comfort eating is showing in ways I do not like. The emotions that I have swallowed down are revealing themselves in the layers of softness I carry. Some people think of these extra rolls as padding. Protection that I have created to soften the impact of the…

Who is the beholder that matters most? — The beauty industry and popular culture would have us all believe that beauty is skin deep and can be improved upon by striving to meet the ideals set for us. But whose ideals should we be following? Beauty standards shift dependent on what country you are in, what era you…

By only acknowledging the physical we miss the true weight we are all carrying and that we can choose to lift for others. I had a moment last night as I looked in the mirror while brushing my teeth for bed. It’s cringe-worthy to admit but I was lost in…

We wear many layers of protective masks but what if we could make those representations of ourselves a deliberate and empowering choice? — As we arrive at the time of year when we choose a new mask to wear for a night of fun and revelry on Halloween, I’m wondering how many masks we are already wearing. The daily mask of makeup as we begin each day reshaping what we confront in the…

There are two narratives about the menopause which one will you choose? — I have always been aware of two competing narratives surrounding the menopause. The first came from the loud external voices of the media and pop culture. …

Saying goodbye is always hard but sometimes it is necessary to create space for something new. My first thought when I think about saying goodbye is the people that have departed my life for many reasons over the years. My second thought is for the aspects of myself I’ve had…

The simple realization that became a gamechanger. — The need to be seen, heard, and valued. Isn’t that the core motivator for most of the things we do? It seems as though we can run ourselves into the ground quite happily as long as it is benefiting someone else. So often I hear people around me bemoaning their…

A parent’s love should never come with rules or limitations. I named your body, you name your self. The name I gave my child belongs to their body and my idea of who they are, who they might become. As much as I would like to believe otherwise I have…

The true message our eyes are trying to tell us. — There are a few things that happen around the time you turn forty, at least that’s what I was told, but as the big day approached I felt confident. I looked younger, felt younger, and was happily certain that none of those things applied to me. It appears I was…

The life that we have left undone. I thought getting older was about your body ageing. The grey hair, the eyesight, the hormonal shifts. I embraced all of that, I felt like a woman moving into her prime. I was passing the peak of the ‘nurturing everyone else phase’ and moving into the liberated wild woman! I…

Friday Prompt: At what point are you good enough? When are you self-improved enough to accept yourself? — Good enough, that often fleeting and ever changing feeling. Good enough is a bench post that moves of it’s own accord and without rhyme or reason. Somedays I am more than good enough. I am strong and certain of myself, my abilities and my intention to do my best. …

Do the thousand words conjured by a picture come from the image or the viewer? I came across this image in my Instagram feed. It is triggering. I see beauty and pain and I am instantly conflicted. The comments below it full of every opinion, every possible response. I sucked…