Remember when ‘thigh gaps’ were all the rage?
Gosh – there were diets and books and all kinds of pressure to suggest that if you didn't have a thigh gap, you weren't desirable.
What was worse, as with all beauty fads, is that women (even girls) went to great lengths to diet and exercise in an effort to create the gap, feeling unworthy if they couldn’t achieve it.
At the height of ‘thigh gap’ popularity, Dr. Oz – a cardiothoracic surgeon and famous TV doctor – interviewed an author on the subject, questioning her close-to-starvation diet that promised followers the sought-after ‘thigh gap’. He was concerned for women who agonized over this trend as opposed to honoring their bodies and focusing on being confident and healthy.
Dr. Oz’s argument against the ‘thigh gap’ was supported in citing that there are essentially three body types – endomorph, ectomorph, and mesomorph – each having their own unique visible characteristics (not to mention internal characteristics) and that it’s highly unnatural for all body types to achieve a ‘thigh gap’. Some could, some couldn’t, but it didn’t define their beauty or health.
Peer and social pressures are like heat on metal. They have the power to impose change. Sometimes the heat is so strong that you give it more merit and space than it deserves; standing in its glow, you bend like a servant to a master, all the while knowing that the new you is not you at all.
How do you know when to allow enough of the heat to expand your being without allowing it to compromise your integrity?
Aha! ~ “Know thyself.”
Self-knowledge is the highest form of knowledge, surpassing all others. It is core.
“Know thyself” was inscribed on the entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. As the influence of Greek philosophy expanded, “know thyself” became a criterion for Western philosophers. It’s the cornerstone for all knowledge and, because it applies to you as a divine human, it affects all aspects of your existence.
This wisdom applies both to your Self and your organization.
Having clarity as to your unique purpose – whether it be as a divine human or a brand – ensures you plant yourself in the heat of pressure confidently and easily, allowing it to support your desired change and growth.
When you know who you are, you don’t fight, defend, buckle, cower, or acquiesce. You stand in gratitude for your gifts, recognize the potential the heat can offer, and then serve as only you can.
The warm glow of the fire never felt so good.
Many adults carry an abundance of childhood fears and subsequent characteristics that disable them from being confident, adult warriors. Join us tomorrow – Tuesday, May 31st – at noon eastern LIVE here Aha! Moment Trailblazers | Facebook as we discuss the importance of the rite of passage.
Succeed Deliberately!
Jae M. Rang, MAS
Strategist, Speaker, Author, Mom
