FitSpirit: No body is perfect

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

You know that sinking feeling you get in your gut when something happens the way you don't want it to happen? Ever felt completely deflated because things just don't go according to plan? I have. It may be a not-so-pleasant interaction with someone, a job disappointment, or a family insecurity that dashes our spirits and leaves us feeling a little lifeless. Sometimes it's our very own body image that puts us in a spirit-less mood.

My spirit has been dashed on many occasions. And I admit, sometimes it's body issues that send me spiraling downward. I know it's not just me. People everywhere, and especially women, have long battled with shame related to their appearance. In fact, body image is one of 12 areas author Brené Brown has identified as the most vulnerable for women. She calls it a "universal trigger," so powerful and so deeply rooted in our psyches it affects the shame we feel in other areas, like sexuality, parenting, and health. The sad thing is that body image is just that -- an image. Our pictures, thoughts, and feelings about our bodies have little to do with our actual appearance, says Brown, who has interviewed nearly 400 women about the topic.

There's no quick fix for the strong hold body image has on most of us. But we can try to stop feeding the shame that sometimes controls us. How? Brown, whose insightful book on this topic is titled I Thought It Was Just Me says we must find the courage to share our stories and experiences.

"We must reach out to others and speak our shame," she says. "If we feed shame the secrecy and silence it craves -- if we keep the struggles with our bodies buried inside -- the shame will fester and grow. We must learn to reach out to one another with empathy and understanding. If, in a diverse sample of women ages 18 - 80, over 90% of the women struggled with body image, it is clear not one of us is alone. There is a tremendous amount of freedom that comes with identifying and naming common experiences and fears -- this is the foundation of shame resilience."

Are you one of the 90 percent who struggles with body image? If so and you'd like to begin a dialogue about this far-reaching curse, please leave a comment. Keep in anonymous if you wish. Just write something. It may help us all.

To read more about Brené Brown, hop on over to the SureWoman website, a site devoted to the strength, passion, and spirit of all women.