Chin-up excercises to make the world a better place
Live in eating disorder world, even as a loving bystander, and the world changes.
Years of thinking about eating disorders and body image and weight have left me staring at bodies. I now have a highly disordered tenderness toward everyone. I see an exposed clavicle and I worry. I see a bulge and I worry. "Is it a symptom?" "Is it natural or is it illness?" "Is she comparing herself to others?" "Is he self-conscious?"
I never used to do this. I hate it. It's exhausting.
So I've developed a new exercise: "Chin-ups." I consciously look at everyone from the chin, up. I treat the area below the chin as private and none of my business. I started doing this in airports. I'm working on magazine covers, T.V., and one-on-one situations.
And wow, the benefits:
Years of thinking about eating disorders and body image and weight have left me staring at bodies. I now have a highly disordered tenderness toward everyone. I see an exposed clavicle and I worry. I see a bulge and I worry. "Is it a symptom?" "Is it natural or is it illness?" "Is she comparing herself to others?" "Is he self-conscious?"
I never used to do this. I hate it. It's exhausting.
So I've developed a new exercise: "Chin-ups." I consciously look at everyone from the chin, up. I treat the area below the chin as private and none of my business. I started doing this in airports. I'm working on magazine covers, T.V., and one-on-one situations.
And wow, the benefits:
- I notice people's expressions, their emotions, their eyes.
- I make eye contact more often, and since I was trained to smile and nod slightly when you make eye-contact with strangers I now find myself smiling more and feeling friendlier.
- Hair: fascinating! And so expressive!
- I hold MY head up, and I feel better.
- I'm not worrying about people all the time, semi-consciously comparing them, measuring. I'm just enjoying my fellow humans.
- The number of times I think about my own body image has decreased.
- People-watching is fun again.
Do me a favor and try it, and let me know how it goes?
Laura,
ReplyDeleteNot that I ever doubted your brilliance or anything but...
...this has to be the best idea I've heard in a long time. I firmly believe that looking into someone's eyes tells you much more about who they are and how they're feeling than looking over their entire body.
This should win a Nobel Prize. Seriously. I'll try it when I go out later. I tried it with my cat but she wasn't exactly cooperative.
Love this idea. Reminds me of an article I read today about a journalist who didn't look in the mirror and learned a few things about herself and society along the way, some interesting things about e.d. in it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thestar.com/living/article/241788
- Ardy
I WILL keep trying, although my first experiment wasn't that successful as I realised too late that the little girl I looked straight in the face had Downs Syndrome and I ended up fixated on her tongue.
ReplyDeleteFirst setbacks not withstanding, Carrie's right, it is a brilliant idea and I will keep trying.
dear laura,
ReplyDeletethis was so wonderful to read and i do love the concept! thanks for sharing.
with care,
ms. em