95 responses to “Shine Day 1: Spark Your Body Warrior”

  1. MAP

    I most need to embrace not berating my body. Also, though I have incorporated good nutrition, rest, nurturing things, exercise, etc., I need to change my thinking of excercise as something that is loving and not putting my body under control. I have found confidence in myself in the last couple of years, and for that I am grateful. It has allowed me to make drastic life changes.

  2. Chibi Jeebs

    Ahhhh! Rosie, I’m SO excited to do this – yay! 😀

    1. Chibi Jeebs

      Sorry I got all excited and commented BEFORE getting to the end of the post!

      1. It’s so hard for me to choose just one to focus on. I think I need to work most on changing my inner monologue – I am absolutely horrid to myself inside my head (embarrassingly so).
      2. I can celebrate my empathy and compassion: I very, very rarely ever feel envious of others.

      1. Sarah R

        Cheebs, have you ever tried writing down the words that you say to yourself in a notebook of some sort? You might be able to conquer some of those thoughts if you write them down and then absolutely negate them in that same notebook page. It helped me with some catastrophic thinking I was doing at one point in my life.

        1. Chibi Jeebs

          Thanks, love. <3

  3. Ann Becker-Schutte

    I saw this post in my reader and I was thrilled. I will have to commit most to the effort to see potential–and sometimes that’s even more about my work than my body. The most fully incorporated for me is the nourishment–I celebrate my fruits and vegetables and I’m a water fiend.

  4. sashalyn

    This post is just what I needed- just at this moment!

    I believe that I really need to change my thinking to see the possibility, potential, & blessings in all things. I get in my own way- I’m not sure where this learned helplessness has come from. I can focus on changing those thoughts and everything else is liable to fall into place.

    I am proud of my recent commitment to understanding what my body can do. Running has helped me to push limits and feel more inside my whole body- I spend so much time in my head that i forrget I have one sometimes.

    So glad to have stumbled upon this today. I’ll be following along!

  5. Sarah R

    1. I absolutely know that I need to work specifically on seeing “exercise as a way to improve my internal health and strength instead of a way to fight or control my body.” Right now I look at exercise as some sort of “punishment” that I _have_ to do, and I want to look at it as something GOOD I do and something POSITIVE I can look forward to.

    2. In the past year I’ve learned to really realize that I am “the primary source of my confidence.” I stopped relying on others to define my worth at the end of my last serious relationship and have only pushed myself further to continue thinking about myself in that way.

    I am SUPER excited to be signing this Body Warrior Pledge. 🙂

  6. Julie D

    Honestly, the statement to let envy dissipate and allow admiration – as a plus-sized person when I do that, I often get pity (which I do not want) and then I get angry. sigh, so this one needs work.

    What I celebrate already is my body’s amazing capacity for healing and growth and stretching etc. I have been in a major car accident that I was able to heal from amazingly well, and I also have had five pregnancies and births, and my body was amazing at that. I home birthed and breastfed and had the strength to carry those children in my arms and on my back for years. I was injured last summer when a rogue wave slammed me onto the beach and my left arm was severely dislocated. I am extremely grateful for the resilience of my body to heal and allow me the full use and (almost now) full strength and range of use in that arm. My body has not me down yet, but sadly i cannot say the same for myself. Time to change that. Howaa (thank you in Haida)

  7. emily strickland

    I am excited about this too, Rosie! I am still mulling over the pledge…the whole thing is pretty powerful. I think I really need to focus on giving my body what it needs. I am glad to say that the thing I can celebrate as already a part of my life is that I am the source of my own self confidence. But the statement about not waiting around to do things in a different body really hit home!

  8. Mona

    I have to work consciously to embrace the fact that I must love my body and myself today, just as I am.

    I have already incorporated no longer putting off the things I want to do because I’m waiting for a different body. I’ve joined new groups, started to socialize more and I began a fitness routine two months ago.

  9. Kip DeForest

    “To stop berating my body and to begin celebrating the vessel that I have been given. I will remember the amazing things my body has given me: the ability to experience the world with a breadth of senses, the ability to perceive and express love, the ability to comfort and soothe, and the ability to fight, provide, and care for humanity.” This is the hardest one for me! It’s hard to teach old dogs new tricks! I need this one tattooed on my forehead, I think!

    However, I am happy to say that I am actively working on this: “To gently but firmly stand up for myself when someone says to me (or I say to myself) something harmful.” It’s come late to me, but I’m so much better at this than I used to be!

    I’m looking forward to celebrating me over the next month, Rosie! Thank you!

  10. Vanessa Sellers

    1. Which statement do you need to make the MOST conscious commitment to embrace?
    To understand that my weight is just a number and does not set my value as a person.
    I tend to look at the number on the scale and then my day is decided from that..if i have lost it is a good day..if i have gained i spend the day hating me.
    Just this past week right before i saw your challenge i tried to make an effort to change this way of thinking..it is a struggle so thank you so much for this..

    2. Which statement do you want to celebrate as already being a part of your life in some way?
    I always stand up for myself. I may let myself think bad things but i never let anyone put me down.

  11. Ashley

    It’s tough for me to choose just one. I struggle with most of these things.

    To stop berating my body and celebrating the vessel that I have been given first and foremost, and keep in mind the journey that has gotten me to the point where I am.

    I have started working on gently but firmly standing up for myself, something I have always had a hard time with.

    I’m looking forward to celebrating and learning a little more about myself over the next month!

  12. Teresa Shepp

    Yeah Rosie…really looking forward to they posts this month. Definately on the top of my list of priorities…

    The statement I most need to incorporate is…

    To no longer put off the things that I wish to experience because I am waiting to do them in a different body.

    The thing I think I am already doing to some degree….

    To understand that my weight is not good or bad. It is just a number, and I am only good.

    Taking the pledge…need to find the right exercise to really enjoy and take care of my body. Will take some suggestions from the other comments. Ready to focus on this instead of just ignoring it in my life. Cheers!

  13. Missy

    I am so glad that I came across this tonight. Somehow I have missed it in the chaos of the last week or two!

    The statement which I need to embrace and commit to working on is …..”stopping berating my body and beginning to celebrate the vessel that I have been given…….. ” This statement is something that I want my life to be based around – that everything I do, think and feel comes from this. I know it will be hard and challenging however I think it is going to be so important in my recovery from Anorexia.

    One statement which I feel I am slowly integrating into my life is about standing up for myself and not letting other people walk over me. As time goes on I am learning to be more assertive.

    Thank you so much Rosie. Im really ooking forward to taking this journey with you. Xx

  14. Lee McCracken

    Love, Love, Love SHINE! This is my commitment: To change the inner-monologue in my head to one that sees possibility not problems, potential not shortcomings, blessings not imperfections. God turned my mess into a message for a purpose … and I will embrace opportunity (and not obsess on the obstacles).

    1. Meg C.

      Yes! I love your phrase, “God turned my mess into a message for a purpose.” That’s beautiful. I’m committing with you on this one.

  15. Susan

    1. the statement that seems like the biggest challenge for me is “To be the primary source of my confidence. I will not rely on or wait for others to define my worth.”

    2. I’ve already made progress with “To give my body the things that it needs to do its work well” at least on the nutrition part (not yet with exercise).

  16. Morgan for_morgan@hotmail.com

    “To give my body the things that it needs to do its work well: plenty of water, ample movement, stretches, rest, and good nutrition, and to limit or eliminate the things that do not nurture my body.” In particular,I need to work on eliminating the things that do not nurture my body (or soul).

    To no longer put off the things that I wish to experience because I am waiting to do them in a different body. – I am just starting to realize that my body is capable of far more than I give it credit for. I will be competeing in a try tri in a couple of weeks!

  17. Amanda @ Click. The Good News

    I’m struggling with “To let envy dissipate and allow admiration to be a source of compassion by offering compliments to others” so I will be mindful of this today. I’m doing well already with exercise and recognizing how it honors and nourishes my body. Thanks- these are great!

  18. Melissa

    I so need this!! I have to really work on negative self talk, not waiting for the perfect body, etc to live life! Looking at the positivesI bring to this life just by being me, I am compassionate, caring and loving I need to embrace that!!!
    Thank you so much for doing this

  19. Meg C.

    The statement I want to most consciously embrace is:
    To be the primary source of my confidence. I will not rely on or wait for others to define my worth.
    I struggle with this every day and am hopeful that this process will help me embrace this every day.

    The statement I want to celebrate is:
    To see exercise as a way to improve my internal health and strength instead of a way to fight or control my body.
    While I used to do yoga to change the way my body looks, now I do it because I love it, because it’s shown me that my body can do cool things, and because it betters my health in more than my body but also my mind and spirit.

  20. Erica @ Cult Of Kale

    This is the statement I need to make the most effort towards -“To love my body and my self today. I do not have to weigh ten pounds less, have longer hair, or to have my degree in my hand to have worth. I have worth just as I am, and I embrace that power.”

    This is the one I want to celebrate -“To see exercise as a way to improve my internal health and strength instead of a way to fight or control my body.”

  21. Cassie Virgin

    The most conscious one is focusing on not letting others define my worth…to stop waiting for outside approval before allowing myself to believe in me.

    The one that will be celebrated as already being part of my life is seeing exercise as a way of internally helping me on every level. It is not a way to change size or shape.

    I love your book, Rosie!

  22. Kelley

    1. I need to stop berating….for sure. This has always been my pattern. I always have a plan for what it would take to be in a place that would end the berating, but no matter what I do or have done, it hasn’t ended. It’s never enough….

    2. As I’ve gotten older, I think that I definitely create my own confidence. I no longer depend on others to give me that the way I did in my youth.

    Thanks for doing this…I am really good at “analyzing” others but really reluctant to do so for myself…this should be interesting !!:)

  23. tanya

    I think that if I can learn to embrace ‘to change the inner-monologue in my head to one that sees possibility not problems, potential not shortcommings, blessings not imperfections’ it would majorly influence all the others. My negative self talk, both verbal and internal, is so destroying, which I recognize, yet I feel so trapped in it.

    Even though I still have envy moments I think that ‘to let envy dissapate and allow admiration to be a source of compassion by offering compliments to others’ I am pretty with this one.

  24. Susannah

    ‘To be the primary source of my confidence. I will not rely on or wait for others to define my worth.’

    This is something I really need to work on. Sometimes I think I don’t even know what I think about myself – it’s like whatever I do or am doesn’t really exist until I know what others think about me or it. This really should change.

    ‘To give my body the things that it needs to do its work well: plenty of water, ample movement, stretches, rest, and good nutrition, and to limit or eliminate the things that do not nurture my body.’

    I am already committed to doing this. Today, I went out for lunch and was pretty assertive (in a friendly way, of course) about adjusting the menu so it fit in my eating plan. I drank a lot of water and some lovely herbal tea, and I had a great Iyengar Yoga class. And when I was a bit hungry after yoga, I treated myself to some unsalted nuts, which I ate and enjoyed one by one. It was a good day for me and my body!

    I will now get my favorite pen and copy the entire Body Warrior Pledge into my notebook. I remember things I have written, and this deserves to be committed to memory.

    Thank you for day one!

  25. Jamie English

    I totally need to change the inner monologue up inside my head from critical to loving….AND I need to love my body and myself RIGHT NOW, TODAY!!!

    I do feel like I have the relying on myself down…I don’t to others for approval so much!

    Thanks for this, so excited!

  26. Andrea

    To be the primary source of my confidence will be the most challenging for me. I find myself at times seeking physical acceptance and validation; am I wearing the right thing, doing too much or not enough, does this make me look like a linebacker? While I want to be appropriate, I am fully capable of determining that for myself without the validation of others. I think I have embraced the concept of exercising for health and not for lbs. I feel so much better when I do and I’m positive that shows on the outside. It might not be in lost lbs, but it shows

  27. Marie

    Thanks for this project, Rosie. First, this is a challenge for me because I’m French. So, please, be indulgent. My English is not as good as I expect;)
    1- My 1st statement is :
    To be the primary source of my confidence. I will not rely on or wait for others to define my worth.
    2- My 2nd statement is :
    To love my body and my self today. I do not have to weigh ten pounds less, have longer hair, or to have my degree in my hand to have worth. I have worth just as I am, and I embrace that power.
    I can’t wait for Shine Day 2!

  28. LyndawithaY

    I like this one: To see exercise as a way to improve my internal health and strength instead of a way to fight or control my body. I’d like to add that any kind of movement is good movement. Any kind of activity is good activity. Doing some kind of movement is better than doing none at all. And, it is OK to take a day off every now and then. I’ve been doing very basic activities, like gardening. Yoga helps my mind, body and soul. I think that activity improves my all-around health: mental, physical, psychological, spiritual. That’s why I enjoy Yoga.

    I still struggle with berating myself and my body (negative self-talk). Also, I’m not there at all on this one: “To understand that my body is an opportunity not a scapegoat.”

  29. Jacqueline

    To embrace: To give my body the things that it needs to do its work well: plenty of water, ample movement, stretches, rest, and good nutrition, and to limit or eliminate the things that do not nurture my body.

    I am so bad about taking care of the body I have been given. I run it ragged sometimes and take care of all the things around me first.

    To celebrate: To recognize my body’s strengths.

    I do see the strength I have, thanks to loving people in my life who are pointing them out. I am strong!!

  30. Jessica

    Hi Rosie, thank you for this!
    The item I struggle most with (I actually struggle with almost all of these) is “To love my body and my self today. I do not have to weigh ten pounds less, have longer hair, or to have my degree in my hand to have worth. I have worth just as I am, and I embrace that power.” That having worth part…sooo hard.

    “To change the inner-monologue in my head to one that sees possibility not problems, potential not shortcomings, blessings not imperfections.” is the part that I’ll celebrate. Although I’ve actually been struggling with this more lately, overall I have done a lot of work around this and the negative inner-monologue is much less negative than it used to be (but still needs work).

  31. Jackie

    For me all the body statements go together as what I need to concentrate on. I like the statement that “my weight is not good or bad. It is just a number, and I am only good.” I actually don’t know my weight as part of my eating disorder recovery, but I definitely feel that way about my body size, or evaluate my body size in those terms (bad/good).

  32. Cindy

    1. To change the inner- monologue in my head to one that sees possibility not problems, potential not shortcomings, blessings not imperfections- Thinking more positively will really help in many aspects of my life (family, friends, work)

    2. To recognize my body’s strengths- when I see all the challenges my family and friends have faced recently, I appreciate the strength I have in my body and all that it gives me

  33. Sarah L.

    The statement that I need to make the MOST conscious commitment to embrace is to no longer put off the things that I wish to experience because I am waiting to do them in a different body. At 28 I still feel like I’m not worthy enough to be in a relationship because I’m plus size. I’m surprised when guys are flirting and/or are interested in me because there is a part of me that doesn’t believe I deserve it because of my pants size.

    The statement that I want to celebrate as already being a part of my life in some way is to be the primary source of my confidence. I will not rely on or wait for others to define my worth. I’ve spent a lot of time over the past two years focusing on learning and loving who I am. I have come to love who I am as a person, which has helped me find a new level of happiness.

  34. wolfie

    The part of this that will be most challenging to embrace is seeing exercise in a more positive light. I have a young child, and little time for myself. When I do have time, I don’t want to spend it exercising! It feels like a waste of time. However, I don’t spend said time doing anything earth shattering, so I think it’s just an excuse I’ve made for myself. I have, in the past, caught the exercise bug, and loved it and felt so strong and healthy and alive. I hope I can figure out what it took to start that fire, and see if it’ll start again. It’s been five years since then, and I’ve had a few starts, but with a family to care for, my physical activity is always the first to go.

    The part that I already have is not seeking for confidence outside of myself. I have much love and support surrounding me, fortunately. I know that I am that source, but right now I am not giving it to myself. I’m ready to change my thinking!

    I’m so glad this is happening online. I have the book Beautiful You, but again, I didn’t stick with it. Somehow, I always manage to check FB throughout the day, so it’ll be great to see the reminders and have a place to share.

  35. Trish

    The most challenging, and I’m not entirely sure why:
    To give my body the things that it needs to do its work well: plenty of water, ample movement, stretches, rest, and good nutrition, and to limit or eliminate the things that do not nurture my body.

    I have really worked on, and feel much better about this:
    To no longer put off the things that I wish to experience because I am waiting to do them in a different body.

  36. Faith

    I can embrace my ability to comfort and soothe I know this because I have a child that was very sick and I was surprised at my abilities to handle that situation. I was great at comforting and soothing! I need to work on To no longer put off the things that I wish to experience because I am waiting to do them in a different body. Wow I didn’t even know I was doing that until I read it just now. I have been doing that for a long time. Ok I will work on that!

  37. Valerie

    2. Which statement do you want to celebrate as already being a part of your life in some way?

    I need to learn to love my body and accept myself today…this is the hardest lesson for me. I have never liked me and have a hard time seeing my worth. I want to slowly begin to change ths.

    Recognizing my body’s strengths is not hard for me. Even though I don’t like myself much, I do know I have a strong body.

  38. Nancy Horn

    1. Which statement do you need to make the MOST conscious commitment to embrace?

    “To be the primary source of my confidence. I will not rely on or wait for others to define my worth”.

    This is what I am working on right now in my life…”To be the primary source of my confidence”. But still in need of a mentor to walk beside me while I expose myself through my writing to the world but “not relying on or waiting for others to define my worth”.

    2. Which statement do you want to celebrate as already being a part of your life in some way?

    “To see exercise as a way to improve my internal health and strength instead of a way to fight or control my body”.

    As I make the choice to age gracefully I am seeing “exercise as a way to improve my internal health and strength”. I am choosing to see exercise as a way of life and not a goal to reach. But with that said I still don’t always embrace what I see in the mirror.

  39. Sara

    This is such an amazing pledge and concept! I am going to be doing it in my journal for the month, as well as ordering a copy of the book when I can.

    1. The hardest for me–though most of them seem hard–is “To be the primary source of my confidence.” That comes from a life of having zero confidence and most of my actions being done to please others.

    2. One that’s part of my life is “I understand that my weight is not good or bad.” I thank Marilyn Wann and the HAES movement, which I’ve only been learning about for a while now, for this. 🙂

  40. Jennifer

    I can do this…..I should do this….I need to do this! Some days I feel like I have self accepting/loving person in my head. Other days I feel like she forgets to “show up”. I’d like to invite her to stay around all the time!

    1.) To give my body the things that it needs to do its work well: plenty of water, ample movement, stretches, rest, and good nutrition, and to limit or eliminate the things that do not nurture my body.

    —–I use my vices as a crutch when my confidence dips…..I reach for “comforting bad for you foods and drinks”…I am a health professional. I know better…I have awesome will power…but I think it is about more than will power…there is something in my head telling myself it’s ok to do this not good for you things because you are a loser who already failed… therefore go ahead and fail like a champ. I need to come up with a way to remind myself of my strengths and accomplishments in times like this.

  41. Linda Alli

    For me the statement I need to embrace in my life is “To no longer put off the things that I wish to experience because I am waiting to do them in a different body.” Also I love to exercise and I see exercise as a way to improve my internal health and strength instead of a way to fight or control my body.

  42. LadyEm

    I am trying to “change the inner-monologue in my head to one that sees possibility not problems, potential not shortcomings, blessings not imperfections.” I have let my past dictate how I anticipate my future will be and, consequently, I plan for the worst case scenario. This has lead me to close myself off for fear of getting hurt but in the belief that I was ultimately protecting myself. I need to allow myself to be a little vulnerable because I will not always be hurt and if I am I will learn from the experience and heal stronger.

    I am now trying to firmly stand up for myself when my anorexic/controlling voice says something harmful. I now recognise the voice of my ED which is damaging me and I am learning to quieten it.

  43. Nicole

    I need to work harder at trying to be the primary source of my confidence. I constantly rely on others to define my worth. While I have been relatively successful in many areas of my life, I have always battled feelings of failure and worthlessness because of my size. For years I felt the need to be a people pleaser in order to justify my existence and the space I occupied in the world. I’m doing better, but I still seek approval from my boss, my friends and my family. That is the main source of my confidence. I know that I have a lot of unique talents and skills, but I still have a hard time being confident in the absence of outside validation. I want to simply believe that I am enough.

    I have been working on trying to see exercise as a means for improving health rather than part of a weightloss regimen, and I am getting better about it. I used it as a punishment or means to an end for a long time. Now, I’m trying to include more joyful movement in my day. I just learned to hula hoop at the age of 38, and it is toooo much fun!

  44. Tammy1409

    I’ve had such horrible body image all my life. I am ready to work on changing it and am excited to follow Shine each day.

    These three statements are my biggest hurdles:
    *To understand that my weight is not good or bad. It is just a number, and I am only good.
    *To love my body and my self today. I do not have to weigh ten pounds less, have longer hair, or to have my degree in my hand to have worth. I have worth just as I am, and I embrace that power.
    *To no longer put off the things that I wish to experience because I am waiting to do them in a different body.

  45. Rie

    What stands out to me is to “gently” stand up to myslef when i say things harmful to myself…that darn little voice that just wont be quiet. have you ever tried to still that voice? not an easy thing to do.
    I am very pro active with excercise, specifically yoga to improve my internal health and strength.
    Love doing this….lets shine!

  46. Cecile

    I’m reading Beautiful You, I’ve come to day 200 so far, but I am so excited to refresh my mind with Shine! It is just so exciting to celebrate what I’ve done and identify what comes next!

    1) “To gently but firmly stand up for myself when someone says to me (or I say to myself) something harmful.”
    Tough one, but step by step I’ll do it!

    2) “To love my body and my self today. I do not have to weigh ten pounds less, have longer hair, or to have my degree in my hand to have worth. I have worth just as I am, and I embrace that power.”
    You know, I’ve just read this week documents I wrote 5 years ago. How I saw myself. I would see my competences but judge myself for not being good enough, strong enough, generous enough,… you get the picture. I was amazed that I now see in myself the same competences than for 5 years, AND I see myself as being “enough”. I’m just right the way I am, and I’m exactly where I suppose to be. This is a very empowering feeling!

  47. terra

    Late to the party, but better late than never.

    I need to work on not berating myself. I am not always telling myself negative things but I am stuck in this world of shoulds.

    Enjoying exercise and not using it to control my body. I am coming into loving care of myself, but fear I have dismorphia because there are times I look at myself and see huge girl, and other times I see where my face has thinned out, where my butt has gotten firmer…. I need to work on this. 🙂

  48. Liz Miller

    Difficult: Don’t depend on others for my confidence!
    Rejoicing: I ususally try to compliment others often to inspire their confidence.

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