Rethinking the Cultural Beauty Standard

A few years ago, I was researching the role of women in Buddhism when I came across this photo of five bhikkhunis (Buddhist nuns) standing shoulder-to-shoulder, smiling and holding hands. Dressed in monastic orange robes and completely bald, almost nothing about them fit the mold of what is considered attractive in contemporary society, and yet they were the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. With today's media and advertising, we are bombarded on a daily basis with the idea that in order to meet the cultural beauty standard, we must maintain a certain look. When I find myself caught in that thinking pattern, I always go back to the photo of the bhikkhunis. It serves as a reminder that true beauty has nothing to do with age, hairstyle, a number on a scale or a clothing size and everything to do with being the loving, creative and wonderful person you are at this very moment.

Now it's your turn..."weigh in" below!

This post was contributed by Mallory Kimbrell, a severe coffee addict, nearly broke English major at Belmont University, and current intern for the EDCT.

Recovery Resolutions

I am sure that many of you have been contemplating the concept of "resolutions" as we begin this new year. Some of you may have already broken resolutions that you made for the year. Some of you might fear making a resolution because you have experienced your inability to keep the ones you made last year. I believe when resolutions are made thoughtfully and reasonably they can be helpful in giving us direction. However, resolutions made without resolve are useless. Perhaps you have just been going through the motions of recovering from an eating disorder, disordered eating behaviors or chronic dieting without true personal resolve. This may be the year that you actually start experiencing recovery vs just doing recovery.

The most vital recovery resolution is to truly resolve! The definition of resolve is: "to come to a definite or earnest decision about ...". The person involved in the recovery process has to make their own resolve. No one can resolve for you. A parent, spouse, friend or treatment provider cannot transfer their resolve to see someone recovered to the person struggling. Without coming to a definite and earnest decision that you personally desire recovery, all other resolutions will fail. Each individual will vary as to how they develop their resolve to recover. One of the benefits of this blog is sharing and encouraging each other in the battle against eating disorders/disordered eating. We can help people fan the flames of their resolve! Please feel free to post about the "aha" moment when you crossed over from just doing recovery to actually experiencing recovery.

The challenge is to change the conversation from simply discussing resolutions to actually making a resolve to recover!