Have you ever typed something into Google that you hoped no one would ever see? I sure have. It feels safe to reveal our hearts in the questions we ask a search engine. You can't raise your hand in small group and ask something like this: "What if I desperately want...
Body Image
Why Is It So Hard to Get Rid of Clothes That Don’t Fit?
True story: Getting rid of clothes that don't fit can be painful. I've written about my experience getting "shame" out of my closet here. But, last week, one of our Compared to Who contributors, Kristin, put out a "HELP" message on the topic, "Why is it so hard to get...
Why Women With All Body Types Struggle With Body Image Issues
My middle son called out for me to come quickly. "Mom, the light's blinking in here." Dying light bulbs don't consitute an emergency in my mind, so a few minutes later I went to investigate the situation. There were no fixture issues of any kind. Instead what I found...
Should You Keep Trying to Be Your Ideal Self?
From the other room I hear my children open and close the fridge door and shuffle through cardboard boxes in the pantry. They're hungry. Again. (It's been like a whole half-hour since they ate.) As they grab for another granola bar, I put another check mark on my...
Do You Have to ‘Love’ Your Body? A Christian Perspective on Body Positivity
Stunned, I sat in front of my television. I could not believe what I just witnessed. The Today show featured a fashion consultant named Gok Wan who said he had discovered the answer for women with body image issues. Are you ready for this? He invites women to his...
Five BIG Myths About Body Image
The sign at the gym lists reasons why patrons should return to workout tomorrow. I laugh (and restrain myself from pulling out a Sharpie) as I read them. Reason number one reads: "No more body image issues." Ahhh . . . If only that were true. I've been a fitness...
Practical Strategies for Handling Body Image Flare Ups
The "Questions" series continues today with this great, and practical, question: Dear Heather: What are some practical strategies for handling body image flare ups -- like when you are struggling in the dressing room, or at an event where you feel suddenly...
When You Feel Out of Control With Body Image Issues
Technology makes me scream. Yesterday I published a new post, made a few changes to my website and, Presto, it vanished from cyberspace without a trace. Not the post. The whole website. Fabulous. And, the best part was--there was literally nothing I could do about it....
Can Average Be Awesome?
My son tested in the top 5 percent of his kindergarten class. I knew we had a child genius on our hands. I mean, how many children transcribe the Star Wars dictionary, letter for letter, meticulously writing words he couldn't even read-- like "droid" and Jabba the...
Help! I Can’t Stop Comparing Myself to Another Woman!
Here's a question about an experience many of us have had, but few of us will admit to. This was a real reader question, used by permission here. This is what I said to encourage a reader who struggles with comparing herself to another woman. Dear Heather: A new woman...