It has been way too long for me to post something to this site. There is so many reasons for not posting but after a long conversation with my wife last night, I finally realized why I'm not writing. It's fear! Fear of finding and using my voice. Fear that my voice might not be accepted. Fear that I might say something that offends you. Fear that no one will listen. Fear that I don't have anything to say. I know I'm not alone. I am sure there some of you out there reading this that know what it's like to live with the voice of fear constantly speaking in your ear. That voice holds us back from so much. It keeps us from trying new things, from going outside our comfort zone and from perusing our dreams.
Well last night, I realized that I have a voice. I have something to say and it is something important. I am sorry if it offends you or makes you uncomfortable. I am sorry if it challenges your assumptions about health, healthy bodies and eating. What I need to say is bigger than just a small private practice in Los Angeles. It is a message that needs to be heard by everyone. I need to add my voice to the many colleagues that I respect and admire. I am joining them in a revolution to change how we, as a society, see our bodies and how we define health.
I'm back to join a movement to stop the oppression of people who are in bodies that society says do not fit and to say, we are here, and we deserve to be heard.
Change is coming and I am going to be a part of it.
I have a voice, and I'm going to make it heard. I will be unabashedly honest and I'm sorry if that bothers you. I owe it to myself, to my family and to my profession to use my voice to help us change.
I'm back baby and guess what, I think you're going to love it!
I know fear will always be there, but like I've told clients before, we never mute the voice, we must make the competing voices louder. So here's to courage, bravery and vulnerability. Fear can bite me!
In the coming months, you can look forward to more frequent posts on topics that might be difficult to discuss, read or share but this is what needs to be done for change to come. You'll be reading more about my own body image experience, my observations of the diet culture that surrounds me, and an honest point of view on how I am, and will continue to, work to help us embrace our bodies, find our own version of health and learn to heal our relationship with food.
I look forward to you joining me on this journey.
