May 15, 2019
Kate is the owner of the small Sydney based personal training
business, Empower360Fitness. She is a fitness/dance instructor, PT
and a body positivity advocate for teens and pre teens.
Kate has always been involved in the dance world, and as a more
'muscular' dancer, was pulled in to that pressure to confirm to a
certain body type.
But her path has led to her passion, which is now helping young
girls see that their body is beautiful and strong, just the way it
is.
Yesterday she shared on her Instagram page a letter she wrote to
one of her young students who was struggling with her body. It's
beautiful, and sums up Kate and her passion so well.
Beautiful Soul, Can't You
See?
What I really wanted to do was
scream, Beautiful soul, can't you see how incredible your body
is?
When you dance, you light up from
within. Your joy is tangible..and your body gives you this
gift.
You're flexible in ways that defy
the laws of nature...
Your body might have babies.. or
not, it's up to you. Or take you trekking up mountains. it might
take you diving into foreign oceans or wandering in markets in far
off countries.
And it's definitely going to allow
you to dance all night until sunrise.
My point is, your body is freaking
amazing!
It's your best friend and it's going
to be with you for life.
Sure, it might not look the way you
want it to some days, but who cares? It's freaking incredible.
Believe me, just like you, I've
stood in the studio with tears in my eyes comparing myself to girls
around me...
Comparison will do you no
good. It only serves to crush your soul.
There is always going to be someone
thinner than you, someone fatter than you, more muscular, less
muscular, taller, shorter.. but there will only ever be one
you.
How amazing is that?
So please... see your body like I
see your body is, and for the gift that it gives you....to dance,
move and express yourself.
You're attached to this gorgeous
body until the day you die so you may as well be friends with
it.
***
Kate talks about her list of self care ideas. Here they are:
Self-Care Ideas for the Mind
- Start a compliments file. Document the
great things people say about you to read later.
- Scratch off a lurkeron your to-do
list, something that’s been there for ages and you’ll
never do.
- Change up the way you make
decisions. Decide something with your heart if you
usually use your head. Or if you tend to go with your heart, decide
with your head.
- Go cloud-watching. Lie on your back,
relax, and watch the sky.
- Take another route to work. Mixing up
your routine in small ways creates new neural pathways in the brain
to keep it healthy.
- Pay complete attention to something you usually do on
autopilot, perhaps brushing your teeth, driving, eating,
or performing your morning routine.
- Goof around for a bit. Schedule
in five
minutes of “play”(non-directed activity) several times
throughout your day.
- Create a deliberate habit and routinize
something small in your life by doing it in the same way each
day—what you wear on Tuesdays, or picking up the dental floss
before you brush.
- Fix a small annoyance at home that’s been nagging
you—a button lost, a drawer that’s stuck, a light bulb
that’s gone.
- Punctuate your day with a
mini-meditation with one minute of awareness of your
thoughts, feelings, and sensations; one minute of focused attention
on breathing; and one minute of awareness of the body as a
whole.
- Be selfish.Do one thing today just because it
makes you happy.
- Do a mini-de clutter. Recycle three
things from your wardrobe that you don’t love or regularly
wear.
- Unplug for an hour. Switch everything to
airplane mode and free yourself from the
constant bings of social media and email.
- Get out of your comfort zone, even if it’s
just talking to a stranger at the bus stop.
- Do a Social Media cull and take out any negative
people.You can just “mute” them; you don’t have to delete
them.
Self-Care Ideas for the Body
- Give your body ten minutes of mindful
attention. Use the body scan technique to
check in with each part of your body.
- Oxygenate by taking three deep
breaths. Breathe into your abdomen, and
let the air puff out your stomach and chest.
- Get down and boogie. Put on your
favourite upbeat record and shake your booty.
- Stretch out the kinks. If you’re at work,
you can always head to the bathroom to avoid strange looks.
- Run (or walk, depending on your current physical
health) for a few minutes. Or go up and down the
stairs three times.
- Narrow your food choices. Pick two
healthy breakfasts, lunches, and dinners and rotate for the
week.
- Activate your self-soothing
system. Stroke your own arm, or if that feels too
weird, moisturize.
- Get to know yourself intimately. Look
lovingly and without judgment at yourself naked. (Use a mirror to
make sure you get to know all of you!)
- Make one small change to your diet for the
week. Drink an extra glass of water each day, or have
an extra portion of veggies each meal.
- Give your body a treat. Pick something
from your wardrobe that feels great next to your skin.
- Be still. Sit somewhere green, and be
quiet for a few minutes.
- Get fifteen minutes of sun, especially if
you’re in a cold climate. (Use sunscreen if appropriate.)
- Inhale an upbeat smell. Try peppermint to
suppress food cravings and boost mood and motivation.
- Have a good laugh. Read a couple of comic
strips that you enjoy. (For inspiration, try Calvin and Hobbes,
Dilbert, or xkcd.)
- Take a quick nap. Ten to twenty minutes
can reduce your sleep debt and leave you ready for action.
Tiny Self-Care Ideas for the Soul
- Imagine you’re your best friend. If you
were, what would you tell yourself right now? Look in the mirror
and say it.
- Use your commute for a “Beauty Scavenger
Hunt.”Find five unexpected beautiful things on your way to
work.
- Help someone. Carry a bag, open a door,
or pick up an extra carton of milk for a neighbour.
- Check in with your emotions. Sit quietly
and just name without judgment what you’re feeling.
- Write out your thoughts. Go for fifteen
minutes on anything bothering you. Then let it go as you burn or
bin the paper.
- Choose who you spend your time with
today. Hang out with “Radiators” who emit enthusiasm
and positivity, and not “Drains” whose pessimism and negativity
robs energy.
- Stroke a pet. If you don’t have one, go
to the park and find one. (Ask first!)
- Get positive feedback. Ask three good
friends to tell you what they love about you.
- Make a small connection. Have a few
sentences of conversation with someone in customer service such as
a sales assistant or barista.
- Splurge a little. Buy a small luxury as a
way of valuing yourself.
- Have a self-date. Spend an hour alone
doing something that nourishes you (reading, your hobby, visiting a
museum or gallery, etc.)
- Exercise a signature strength. Think
about what you’re good at, and find an opportunity for it
today.
- Take a home spa. Have a long bath or
shower, sit around in your bathrobe, and read magazines.
- Ask for help—big or small, but reach out.
- Plan a two-day holiday for next
weekend. Turn off your phone, tell people you’ll be
away, and then do something new in your own town.
- Write in your journal – write down your
beliefs, what you’re grateful for and then, whatever you feel
called to write.
Little and Often Wins the Day
With a little bit of attention to your own self-care, the fog
will lift.
You’ll feel more connected to yourself and the world around
you.
You’ll delight in small pleasures, and nothing will seem quite
as difficult as it did before.
Like that car, you must keep yourself tuned up to make sure that
you don’t need a complete overhaul.
Incorporating a few of these tiny self-care ideas in your day
will help keep you in tune.
Which one will you try first?
***
To connect with Kate:
http://www.empower360fitness.com.au
Instagram & Facebook: @empower360fitness
***
To connect with me - Womens' Health Coach
http://www.traceymcbeath.com.au
I offer group online coaching on how it all works when it comes
to weight loss. I also offer online programs.
Contact: tracey@traceymcbeath.com.au
Mobile: 0425 847 286
Love Tracey xx