My Mindset Around My Body
I am not pregnant, I have diastasis recti.
I have been to a specialist to have it diagnosed and it’s time I get back for some follow up.
This week I had a few people excitedly, with good intention ask me if I was pregnant. Which is ok, being pregnant is a blessing and a celebration! I have had three children and my body is different than it was before I had kids and all the daily work I do isn’t trying to “get back to” anything, I am trying to grow stronger.
The comments do sting, I acknowledge that hurt.
This week when someone commented on my pregnant looking stomach I told them I wasn’t pregnant, informed them of the stomach muscle separation I have and accepted their apology. Then we continued to talk about something else.
The second image is me all in the same day, with different levels of stomach muscle engagement and posture.
While I have given my stomach a lot of thought this week because of these comments, these comments have not sent me into a mental tailspin of negative self talk about my body. These types of comments 4 years ago, would have been a much heavier burden on my mental health. My ability to process the comments, inform people about my body calmly and then carry on conversations, is the work of the Holy Spirit through my daily personal development activities. This is growth and I am so proud of! This is growth I am so grateful for.
I used to be easily offended, riddled with anxiety, suffered from eating disorders and cared so much more about what others thought of me (I still care because I am human but definitely not as much). God has healed so much within me and continues to do His good work through everything.
I have been singing - “you take what the enemy meant for evil and you turn it to good”.
I have had some amazing conversations with other women about our postpartum bodies and hearts this week and we need more of that. Super grateful for the conversation being brought to the forefront and also the realization of how far God has brought me mentally.
