Inspiring Stories of Self-Acceptance
For many of us, when we look in the mirror we see what our bodies are not. We focus on imperfections and what we wish could be different. It's time to change that narrative. We asked instructors and members of the Echelon community to write a letter to their body—one that comes from a place of compassion and gratitude. Here are their stories.
"Dear Body, Thank you for loving me when I didn’t love you back. From this moment forward, I promise to celebrate you, because you've carried me since my very first breath, and will continue until I take my last. You are my home and I am done tearing you down." - @themichellerobinson
“Dear Body, You’re working so hard lately, and I wanted to acknowledge that. Thank you for always showing yourself kindness, it’s so important. Keep doing what you’re doing, keep working towards your goals, you can do anything, you’re so strong. Can’t repeat that enough, you’re so strong! Just remember, I love every curve, every flaw, everything that makes you, you. I love you.” - @shanasaka
"Dear Body, I wanted to write and thank you for continuing to carry me after all of these years. You gave me the ability to play sports, ride bikes with my friends, and enjoy the simple things in life. After kids I knew it was time that I started taking better care of you, and that is where my fitness journey really took off. I appreciate you letting me push myself everyday with my Echelon equipment. The growth we are making together is letting me be a better husband and father. Aria loves it when we play and run around, and you are letting me enjoy the new little things in life, creating memories that will last a lifetime." - @fillupsever
"Dear Body, I’ve learned to embrace my scar, and celebrate the beauty of what it looks like to give birth, whether naturally or via c-section. I only had one c-section, and then had 3 vbacs, but I know many women who have had to had multiple c-sections. Whether you’ve had one or several c-sections, I encourage women to love these beauty marks and celebrate what bringing a life into this world looks like, scars and all." - @mariespinoza
"Dear Body, As a young teen to young adult you challenged me with weight management! We went from wearing a size 16 at age sixteen to rapidly going to a size 4 a year later. The struggles in weight gain and loss have persisted from then to the present, but through it all I have never stopped loving every curve! From the thickness of my thighs to the smallness of my waist!" - @spin_diva
We love hearing your stories! Share your own "Dear Body" letter on social media and use #DearBodySeries and tag @echelon.fit
