We are three women and two men writing a musical called IN MY BODY. Our characters uncover raw truths about what it's like to live in their individual and collective bodies at this particular moment in time. Read our blog to find out what we have to say about body culture and about where we are with our show.
Today the Flying Bulldog women/IMB team are gathering together to prepare for the read-thru of ALL our written material. This is going to begin TOMORROW as all our actors and singers have already begun to travel to PA!!! Special thanks to our amazing stage manager Justyn Wade for keeping the whole week neatly organized! Excitement and nerves are abound! We are going to see what works and what doesn't and then take our next step (whatever that may be!)
Today Kayla Harrison won the first EVER gold medal for the U.S.A. in Judo. She has dedicated her life to becoming the best in this martial art. Now 22, Kayla has come out publicly to speak about the sexual abuse she endured for years starting when she was 11. She was abused at the hands of her former Judo coach. She has spent years coping with what happened to her and realizes now that her tragedy does not define who she is as a person and has only made her stronger. In an article written by Matt Moore of CBS Sports, she was asked about the events that recently happened at Penn State."I wanted kids—boys, girls, victims—to know that while this was the most
awful time in their lives, it will pass. And one day you'll realize that
it doesn't define you anymore.”
Congratulations Kayla, you are a strong, beautiful role model and we are all proud of you!
Dove continues to leave me in utter awe of their ongoing beauty campaign. I was reading an article by Leslie Goldman called Why I Broke Down in Front of 500 Sorority Girls
which references a "Campaign For Beauty" video. Goldman is a writer,
author, body image speaker and was recently a keynote speaker at a
sorority conference in Miami. She spoke about confidence and her own
personal success. This was also the first time Goldman had been away
from home since having her 5 month old daughter. After her talk she
proceeded to host a body image session which she has given dozens of
times in the past.
Goldman began the session by showing this Dove video.
Have you seen it? I don't even have kids and I can't tell you how much
I was moved by this under 2 minute HOLY SHIT revelation. Goldman has
seen this video countless times before but for obvious reasons, it
suddenly resonated deeply within her.
Now watch the damn
video but if you are too lazy to click on the above link...It opens
with a shot of a perfect, young, innocent little girl. Then... BOOM!
We are abruptly inundated with images that have been consciously and
unconsciously ingrained in our minds forever by beauty companies,
celebs, mags, reality shows, you name it! Still and moving images that
make us look at ourselves and make us begin to hate what we see and then
proceed to change the very things that make us so special.
Goldman,
being a new mom realized how her daughters innocence and confidence
would one day be shaken and challenged. And so began her list of
promises from mother to daughter that will bring tears to your eyes.
Here are a few I particularly loved... Evie, I will never criticize your body for the way it looks. I will not allow a scale to pollute where we live. I will compliment you on your strength, your smarts and your kind gestures.
Now read the article and watch the video, you will be glad you did.
Rumination is a word I learned today. However, ruminating is something I actually do pretty often. In the article called Overthinking? It Could Be Depressing YouLinda Wasmer Andrews states that "Often, [such] rumination is focused on the past – bad things that have
happened or unfortunate situations you wish had gone differently." Personally, my mind often goes in circles analyzing, brooding, reanalyzing and obsessing about negative events that have already happened, are currently happening and events that I seem to predict will happen in the near and far future. Andrews has a hunch that this type of thinking will lead to depression and I think she's on to something. Sometimes I find myself paralyzed by my looming thoughts and am unable to focus on the task at hand. Our brains are incredibly powerful machines and I do believe that over-thinking can lead to depression. Andrews says that, "Thinking about a problem to find workable solutions helps. But people who ruminate don’t do that. They think over and over about the causes and consequences of their problems without creating solutions. You might not even realize you’re ruminating. You might believe you’re trying to understand the deeper meaning of events, gain insight and solve problems." How to break that cycle? Read the article to find out!
In my body I will try my best not to ruminate today!
FOOD, I personally live and die to eat fantastic food. I have even been known to get excited about plain old gluttonous food like creamed chipped beef on toast with an order of a grilled honey-bun and a side of scrapple (please don't tell me what it is made of or i'll hurt you.) I just read the below article about how Jada Pinkett Smith doesn't eat for pleasure. I cannot imagine going thru life just eating for nourishment and not for taste. I understand in some places on our globe, people have no choice but to eat what is available for survival. However, for someone like Jada Pinkett Smith to only eat for nourishment with no interest in how something tastes....I have my suspicions and am calling BS. I have always said that eating delicious food with my friends and family makes up 90% of my happiness. I would gladly take an extra ten pounds on my hips and bite guilt-free into one of my mom's perfectly plump delicious potato gnocchi smothered in her sauce than have whatever counts as a perfect body ANY DAY!! Jada Pinkett Smith doesn't eat for pleasure
