We all have one, that one room in the house that’s not finished. Or the drawer that always sticks or falls out of its carriage. We cringe when someone sees the broken shower tiles because it’s our bad side. Our ugly parts. Maybe you don’t show your belly because of the stretch marks and no matter how tight your abs would ever become, those scars will show. It’s okay. We all have ugly zones.

I read an older book a while back called Body Outlaws. It’s a collection of essays about self-image. Here’s an excerpt,

Ironically, I’ve had a better career as a big-girl model than most skinny models have in their lifetimes! And the best part is, I did it all on my own terms. I love to witness the moment when someone’s perspective shifts before my eyes. It’s the moment I go from being “pretty for a bigger girl” to just being pretty. – Kate Dillon, Body Outlaws excerpt 

I’m a perfectionist by nature, but over the years I’ve developed tolerance. What helps me the most is to drop the expectations. For example, I listen to a lot of podcasts. They keep me entertained while I’m working my 9 to 5 job. The thing about podcasts is they have few rules. The subjects vary from science to poodles to Magic the Gathering gaming. On some you never know what they’re going to talk about and if they’ll even hold to their topic. They’re fun. They’re entertaining. They’re not perfect. And for me that’s what I like. The same goes with my friends. I have no perfect standard for them other than friendship. Low expectations mean low judgement. And that leads to fewer ugly zones.

Even as we continue to embrace the diversity of sizes among us, we must ask, what does a healthy body feel like? -Dyann Logwood-Young Body Outlaws excerpt, (emphasis mine)  

• fill your life with activities that have fewer expectations
• befriend other non-perfectionists
• read less Cosmopolitan and more Oprah or Reader’s Digest
• listen to fun podcasts
• change your perspective
• interact with others on the web or at your local library
• share your experience with others

Here’s a list of my favorite free podcasts:

1. Savage Lovecast
2. The Thinking Atheist
3. Dogma Debate
4. Caustic Soda
5. Freakonomics
6. Geologic Podcast (not geology)
7. Mysterious Universe
8. StarTalk Radio
9. The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
10. Irreligiosophy

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