I read this today and thought it was very inspirational

[Realfoodieclub]

The words in the article meant so much to me as I can be the worlds worst at putting myself down.

One of the biggest changes that happened to me when I learnt to run was a respect for my body. Not what I looked like but what this body of mine was capable of.

This lady writes about it so well in her open letter.

I thought it would be good to share.

therunningbug.co.uk/running...

[SarahFox Graduate]

Thanks for that. We are our own worst critic!

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to SarahFox]

What I took from that article is that I am not sure that is true... she lists the ways **random other people** felt entitled to pass unhelpful comments: judgments.

It's a little sad that it took all of these people who *should* be ashamed of themselves for her to decide she wasn't going to collude with that kind of 'never good enough' attitude, but bravo that she has.

People are not born feeling bad about themselves, they have help to get that way

[Rainbowsmurf Graduate]

Thanks for that. It's a great article.

[Coddfish Graduate]

I really wish everyone (and especially the media) would focus on what people can do and not what they look like. Especially in relation to women. I would especially love to abolish the Daily Mail sidebar.

[goonkeepgoing Graduate in reply to Coddfish]

Here here!

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Coddfish]

At some point last year I went on a Daily Mail-free diet. I never read the paper but sometimes followed links to various things online and, yes, then there's the 'sidebar of shame' you find yourself clicking on which only encourages them. I am sticking with this as a resolution for 2016.

[the_tea_fairy Graduate]

AMEN to that, and thanks for posting.

I'm with codfish as well - why the hell do we still live in a society that thinks if a body has ovaries in it (or even if it doesn't, but belongs to someone who identifies as female), then 1. it's fair game to assess it in terms of shape, colour, texture and whether-it's-sexy-or-not and 2. it's fair game to judge the person inhabiting that body based on it's visual characteristics?!

I teach teenagers, and deal every single day with girls who think they have to look and behave a certain way because somehow they're still getting the message that the only really viable route to power, status, and fulfilment is by being attractive according to crappy, crappy, male-gaze-defined ideals. Hell no!

Um. I should probably stop raging now, shouldn't I? But it really galls me.

[the_tea_fairy Graduate in reply to the_tea_fairy]

Though, to go against my own point 1., she has an absolutely banging body and I'd be strutting about making people poke my abs if they looked like that.