Once upon a time you were comfortable in your skin.
It may have been a long time ago, but you were.
You were born that way – fully, completely at home in your skin.
And then something happened.
Someone did something, someone said something. Self-consciousness was born and with it discomfort, as if your skin had become too tight.
What if you could go back to that time and remember the glorious feeling of “bien dans sa peau”?
Bien dans sa peau – literally translated means feeling well in your skin, at ease with yourself.
Well in your skin.
I want that, don’t you?
“As if you were on fire from within. The moon lives in the lining of your skin.” – Pablo Neruda
Well in my skin. . .I’m not sure I know what it means.
My curiousity aroused, I want to find out.
“it ain’t no sin, to take off your skin and dance around in your bones” – Tom Waits
If you’ve resolved to become more fully yourself, this is an invitation to explore and rewrite the story of who you are in your skin. For what gets in the way is most definitely a story you’ve listened to and repeated far too long.
Now is the time for a new story to emerge – a story of wholeness and being in your skin exactly the way you are.
And exactly the way you’re not.
You.
Fully yourself.
In your skin, on fire from within.
“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” – Brene Brown
Over to you:
- Feel how your old story shows up in your body.
- Now imagine wellness in your skin.
Which do you want more of?
I want to hear from you.
Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.
Prompted by A Year With Myself, a year-long adventure in empowerment.
Lovely post!
When I was young, I was not well in my skin, and I was old. There was no real joy of youth, or youthful rambunctiousness in me. I was all serious, all the time.Until I turned 30.And then it all made sense. I was a thirty-year-old in a child’s body! And so I vowed to get younger. And I think it has worked. I’ve been at it for 14 years and most of the time I do feel well in my skin – comfortable knowing who I am, free in my choices and views. I highly recommend it to everyone!Hugs and butterflies,~T~
It’s time to share that story Teresa! Because for many (myself included) feeling comfortable in our skin is long forgotten. That’s why I wrote this, why I want to bring it out in the open.
You have NO idea how badly I want this again!
I DO have an idea because I want it just as badly. And that’s why I want you here with me!
And yet another fiery piece you’ve written Sandi! I was having similar thoughts and emotions last night as I was doing the final work on Chapter 3 of A Year With Myself.
My old stories do show up in my body. I’ve always thought the body has a memory of its own, so it takes a a lot of care and compassion to gently wipe away those old stories from it.
And it’s so connected to your emotions even when you don’t realize. That feeling of comfort or discomfort in my skin always tells a lot to me if I’m listening!
Actually, next week’s theme is “In Love With Me” where self-love, self-acceptance, self-image, being yourself will be discussed. I think all three consecutive themes (self-discovery, core story and self-love) really interconnect.
What are you brewing after this post. i can feel something cooking and boiling over. I’m really curious about your next article.
I had barely started reading Chapter 3 when this post just came to me. It wrote itself, the words coming through my fingertips as I typed. Where is it going? I’m still not sure, but I know it’s time for the new story to emerge.
I believe that everything is held in the body if we don’t complete it, ie: get the learning and move on. As I’ve gone through months of chiropractic treatment, I’ve been amazed at how feelings from long ago are showing up in my body once again as my body heals. It’s an amazing process!
And yet the body is so silent, so forgiving, so patient. She really takes in without complaining as much as she can until she really can’ take it anymore. It’s motherly and compassionate, soft and embracing, mature and all-knowing. I think we owe it to our bodies to return the love and compassion, and the care and comfort. Let’s start a movement! It’s screaming!
The ease with which I wrote this have me agree with you that something is waiting to be unleashed 😉
Oh and breathe, allow the story to come up, let it be heard. Ask questions, go inside, look for the hidden truth. Where am I, who am I, what am I? Am I? Dare I? Can I? Yes/no/maybe. All of them, and none of them. The skin, is it holding us all in?
Thank you x
Is my skin holding me all in? Good question Jackie! I’ll be taking that one to the journal.
I mostly have been comy in my skin & in my mind lately. However, yesterday at a small group event I was inadvertently rude and called on it. It’s easy to wither like a middle-schooler. Instead I’m trying to figure out what happened, if I have done it in other small group settings (my least comfy environment) and what parts I can improve while still being me.
Not comfy in this skin today, I’m sorry to say. It’s good to be an adult and work thriugh it sanely, though.
Drat, I see typos but it won’t let me edit them. Posted w/ typos.
Letting the typos stand as they’re just another form of discomfort. My 2 cents…stop trying to figure out what happened and forgive yourself.
Well, this is perfect timing, Sandi! Yesterday a friend came to take photos/shoot videos of me. It was an all-day torture test as far as I was concerned. It was so bad I had to write a blog post about it to dissipate some of the negativity!
Talk about not being comfortable in my own skin. The epitome of discomfort as I looked at the photos and videos and did NOT recognize that person as me. It was all about my weight, and here I thought I was getting pretty good at loving myself no matter what. Of being in my skin exactly the way I am. Got a LONG way to go on this front.
Many of us have a long way to go with being comfortable in our skin, including women I know who do not have weight issues. It’s so much more widespread, isn’t it?
Hi Sandy. I loved this. It reminds of how when I was young, I was comfortable to a point and then something happened. I put on weight to hide from who I really was, to distinguish my own light. Now, I am more comfortable in my skin, but I crave to jump out of it, anew and afresh.With a watch me now attitude.
Everyone’s got that moment when ‘something happened’ right? It’s a shame though that we carry on till our 30’s and 40’s before considering we can get back to that place of “well in your skin”.
Love your watch me now attitude!
Dad: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Me: “A cartoonist or a photographer.”
Dad: “No, you can’t do those. You’ll have to pick something else.”
I was seven. That was probably the point you’re referring to, when that first discomfort set in.
I’m older now by a bit and I’m still working hard on getting back there. It took me a couple of decades to see that what happened that day was bad.
Thanks for a great post, Sandi!
Yes, that’s exactly the kind of moment I was referring to. It happens to all of us and it’s sad, but the irony is that most parents (or caregivers) don’t realize the impact they set in motion.
So glad you’re getting back there now Dan!
This is exactly what I’m going through right now. I’m doing what I love but everyone else is so disapproving of it. Sometimes, when I’m at work and things go back, I think maybe it will be better if I simply give up my vision. There always this conversation in my head, self-berating and motivating, tear between two points. Now, I’m keen to stick around.
Sandi, this is exactly the post to remind me that it is ok to be myself. Thanks!
Giving up on your vision may make others happy but at what cost? It’s your life Wing, live it for yourself! xoS
Wow, this brings up so many body image issues for me – my old story sees the skin on my thighs too puckered, on my belly too flabby…my NEW story that the skin all around me is this beautiful organ that keeps the bad stuff out, protecting me. I want to protect it back and acknowledge it for all of its awesomeness 🙂
Oh how I love your new story Sabrina and wish that for everyone!
It’s funny, Sandi, I read this last week and yet here I am, reading it again like it was brand new. I think it speaks to growing more comfortable in my skin, noticing its changes, some more marked and wrinkled, some more easy to love. I am glad for the trip back round to read again. Apparently it kept on simmering on a back burner BEcause I am clearly able to see what I thought then and what has changed.
I’m like that too Currie. Things sit brewing, often for days & weeks, and then suddenly like magic they crystalize into coherent thoughts and ideas 🙂
There is no other good things than having a clear glowing skin. Having a nice skin is a pride, it makes women even more beautiful, more attractive, and being attractive could boost confidence.