Saturday, August 28

... and I'm back...

So I haven't posted in a while... I have been busy searching the world for things for you!
First of all, you all need to check out the Body Shop's Soft Hands, Kind Heart cream. Proceeds from the product go to ECPAT who are working towards ending child prostitution and child pornography. While you're buying the cream, throw in and buy the re-usable bag for $5 which also supports ECPAT. Also click the link and sign the petition.
It's that time of year where Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is happening all over the world. The event is to raise awareness around women's issues, specifically domestic violence. The website lists all the walks that you can participate in and how to get involved. The Calgary event is hosted by the YWCA every year and is on September 20th this year. I urge all of you to get your dads, brothers, partners and friends to participate. It is an awesome party that supports a very important cause.
And since I am selling y'all stuff this post, I might as well continue with Women for Women. It's a website that makes it possible to buy products made by women in areas of poverty, conflict and oppression. The website is divided into 4 separate shops for your shopping ease. There are some amazing products ranging from bath and body products to jewelry and clothing. And let me tell you, there are some very cute bags available as well.
Sorry for selling you guys stuff this week, but remember it's all for a good cause. So get involved, spread the word and we will chat again later!
XOXO
Sarah

Thursday, August 19

A (mini) Breakthrough!!!

Who knew a moment of breakthrough would come while on the internet!?!
I think I have found my new favorite site. Adios Barbie looks at body image and it's impact on society. There is an article posted there about the effect dieting has on self-esteem. The article looks at how the diet industry makes their money by telling you that you are only healthy if you are slim. Interestingly, the methods the diet industry use do not focus on actually making people healthy, just allowing them to lose a small amount of weight for a short period of time. Often this weight is gained back causing the term "yo-yo" dieting. Gaining and losing weight consistently is not healthy and puts stress on the body. However, since "skinny" is considered to equate with healthy, the diet industry has us convinced to buy into weight loss at any cost.
With this in mind, I encourage everyone to visit Health at Every Size (HAES). You can take their pledge to live in a healthy way and search their resources. I encourage this for a few reasons, but the biggest is to remind yourself that beauty is on the inside and that health is a life long goal, not just to lose those last 10 lbs.
Consider this next time you are beating yourself up for what you don't look like: How many industries rely on you wanting to change to keep them in business? The diet industry not only WANTS you to fail, but NEEDS you to fail to keep it afloat. They also need you to continually feel bad about yourself so you buy into whatever it is they are selling. So really, the entire diet empire needs you to not succeed and they have set it up to ensure that. Think about how many ads you see in a day for the weight loss industry. How many have testimonials from people who it "worked" for... now think about how many have tiny little disclaimers at the bottom saying "results not typical" and "result will vary". The fitness would is no better saying that you will look like this by using our product. Unfortunately, not every body is created the same and thus, once again "results may vary".
I think that what I want to remind you as well and constantly remind myself, is to look at everything with a critical eye. Why am I not happy with my body? Is it because I am told I shouldn't? Because I want to look like everyone else? Because media tells me it's "easy"? Or is it because of health reasons? Is there something I am prevented from doing?
Perhaps this will have to be a breakthrough that I have to keep coming to, asking myself "why". Looking at: each purchase, thing I read, ads I see with a critical eye to ensure that I am not putting myself down because "they" need me to. I need to be looking out for number 1... and that sure as hell isn't some CEO who is rubbing his hands with glee.
XOXO
Sarah

Tuesday, August 17

Openning my eyes...

Yet another eye opening weekend. Looks like I do my best thinking when I don't have to.
I guess the first thing I realized this weekend is that everything doesn't look so bad when you are feeling good. By this I mean both  physically and mentally. I have been battling a cold for FAR too long now and this weekend I finally started to feel healthy again. I hadn't realized how much the cold had been taking out of me until I wasn't coughing and sniffling. The second thing that really hit home is that when you're mentally feeling good, everything just seems to be a little easier. I have depression and had stopped taking my meds thinking that I did not need them anymore. Turns out I still do need them as the last little bit has been quite a struggle for me. I started taking them again after noticing that I wasn't feeling myself and my boyfriend had noticed a change in me. Shockingly, I feel much better now that I am taking them again. Lesson learned - it's ok to need a little help. I am not invincible.
With the ideas that I am not invincible and it's ok to ask for help in mind, I told my boyfriend how I had been feeling about my body image of late. I told him truthfully that I was struggling with both my weight and how I see myself when I look in a mirror. After telling me that I am beautiful both inside and out, he asked what he could do to help. I told him that I wasn't sure unless he had the ability to either a/ get in my head and change things around or b/ change how people see each other. Hmmm seems that he is unable to do either. Dang...
So what to do from here? I think that's the whole purpose of this thing isn't it! So  had best get to some reading and self-work and I'll let you know how it's going.
XOXO
Sarah

Thursday, August 12

Listen to this!

Oh media, how I love and loath thee...
So I know for me, music has always been VERY important in my life (hence my huge CD collection).
Music is probably not the best place to look for positive words about woman to increase their self-esteem, especially around body image.. However there are a few songs that come to mind. The current Kardinal and Akon song Body Bounce while being about sex, actually has a positive message to women if you can get past the rest of the lyrics. "That's the body of the century, You a little insecure but baby you got plenty, Them stretch marks on your hips is just bungee cords bringin' you back when you dip". It addresses how the girl sees her body and how the guy sees it, and that he LIKES what he sees.
Any list about songs praising women's assets would not be complete without Sir Mix-a-Lots Baby Got Back. Lets be honest here, while he song is quite infectious and the video is something hard to forget, the lyrics actually have a positive message toward women. My personal favorite is that of  Cosmo says you're fat, well I ain't down with that." If he's not down with it, then why do we buy into it? I think the most poignant moment of the song however is the beginning when the girls are tearing each other down "mean, her butt, is just so big. I can't believe it's just so round, it's like, out there, I mean - gross." Good god, it's no wonder that the diet and self-help industries do so well, women perpetuate this ourselves. Think about it honestly for a second, can you actually say you've NEVER torn down another girl based on looks alone? I know I can't.
So what does all of this mean in terms of body image? I mean really, do women have to tear each other down to feel better abut themselves? Why is there a constant need to compare ourselves to each other instead of celebrating our differences? Perfect example, magazines... there are always women on the covers, even on men's magazines. They are photo shopped and have a team of people to make them look that way (check out the Dove Ad just to see how much). So why would people think that  that we should look like that? I know I don't have a team to do me up everyday, and I certainly am not photo shopped and air brushed everywhere I go. So maybe it is up to each of us to realise that beauty is on the inside. The first place we can start is with ourselves and stop trying to define ourselves by others. Easier said then done, I know. So I challenge you today to say something nice to at least 5 different women to see today. I will let you know how I do...
xoxo
Sarah

Tuesday, August 10

A few days...

Wow, funny how a few days can provide so much to talk about.
First of all, this weekend I really started to see how much my body image effects what I do. I was subjects o wearing a swimsuit on two separate occasions this weekend. I say subjected as that's how I feel when I have to wear one. But the more importantly this weekend I realised how uncomfortable I am in my skin. First of all, I wouldn't wear my suit without my shorts over top. Then, I tried to stay submerged under the water as much as possible to avoid being seen. I watched other women at the pool and was envious of how they could wear a swimsuit with no concern. There were women of all shapes and sizes who were able to wear only their swim suits and not dart from the change rooms to the water. This is something I need to change. The way I see my body is negatively impacting how I view myself as a person. And that's not ok.
So I need to examine what has gotten to me to this place and what might help change my body image.
Considering this, I thought it was interesting that the Calgary Herald ran an article on Monday about Jessica Simpson's The Price of Beauty. While the reviews have been both positive and negative, I think it is interesting that Simpson has attempted to look what women go through to meet the cultural definition of beauty. However having said that, I think that it is a shame that the person associated with this concept is a celebrity who is arguably the definition of American beauty to do this. Perhaps the reviews for the show would have been different had they chosen someone different. I will let you check it out yourself and make your own opinions to share here.
I thought I would talk about everything that happened this weekend on here, but I think that it might be more prudent to leave something to talk about for the rest of the week. I will however leave you with this awesome website for a feel good kind of day. Daily Affirmations are a great way to take a moment to reflect on what's positive in your life. Wayne Dyer has a new affirmation posted everyday here. If you like the messages he has online, he has also published two perpetual calendars: Inspiration and The Power of Intention. Both are awesome and are available for itunes download so you can take them with you!
xoxo
Sarah

Thursday, August 5

A time for truth...

"Truth is inner harmony" -   Walther Rathenau
How's that for a kick in the behind to get ya going. I said that this would be a look at myself as well as a look at society. And according to god old Walt, I need to have some inner harmony on the subject before I can uncover my truth.  
So where do I start with my self exploration? Well, I am a huge believer in the healing abilities of the arts, specifically visual art. With this in mind, I set out to find some material that would allow me to be active in my search for inner-harmony. I have decided that I am going to use Lucia Cappacchione's The Well Being Journal: Drawing upon Your Inner Power to Heal Yourself for daily work in a journal and to create a vision board to focus in on my long term goal of having a positive view of myself. For the vision board work I am going to be using the guidance of Joyce Schwarz's The Vision Board. I will take pictures of the work and post them here as I go.
However, I also said that I would have some posts about what is going on in the world currently. I didn't have to look very far today. "How I lost 10 lbs Fast" - revenge by revealing her hottest body ever (OK Weekly Magazine (Bachelerette Ali Exclusive Interview and Photos, August 2 2010)). Perfect. How better to show someone that you are over them by starving yourself. The article even states that she was "curvier" after the show. Not fat, not unhealthy, CURVY. So now, girls need to be ashamed of having curves. Yet if you look at the photo layout, she is in a bikini and heels; both of which i consider to be pretty feminine articles. The focus of the article is also on the lbs, not on how she felt physically or mentally. The only statement about her feelings is that "she's lost the weight and is happy". Maybe she's happy because no one is hounding her about what she's eating now that she's not being filmed everyday. Or maybe she's happy because the show is done. I am not saying she may not be happy about losing the weight, but why? Not gonna lie, she looks pretty hot with the 10lbs of curves in the inset photo.
Now before you think "Sarah, these are not magazines people buy because they are intellectual", trust me I know that. But these ARE the magazines that clutter checkouts at pharmacies and grocery stores. Interesting since these two places sell diet supplements and food. Hmmm. Curious, no? And more importantly, people do buy these magazines and are bombarded by these types of articles/photos on each page. I love my fashion mags just as much as the next girl... and maybe that's the problem
Just something to think about next time you're in line at a store...
xoxo
Sarah

Wednesday, August 4

A place to start...

Here we are, the beginning... So why a blog? Why now?
Well, I have planned this for a while. A critical examination of how media and society's views on beauty impact me and my self-esteem. I know that this is an area I struggle with and based on the number of magazines I see stating "Lose those last 10 pounds for swimsuit season" and "Get that runway look" I cannot be alone with the struggle. The question is, why? Why do I let myself get into these funks where I focus on the scale and not being "ideal"? At what point did I allow myself to be stuck in a constant string of diets? And again, WHY? I like to think I am smarter than this. However, somehow I have ended up in this cycle that has lead to books upon books on weight loss and self-esteem and self worth.
So where does this leave me?
Well, I am going to examine diets, books, magazines, music, movies, fashion all to figure out what impacts me. Is it external influences or, is it something internal which drives these thoughts. So this will chronicle my everyday struggles and triumphs with who I am. It will examine my efforts to leave behind all those crazy diets and to simply be happy and healthy everyday, no matter what.
So I hope to keep you all entertained and maybe do some soul searching of your own
xoxo
Sarah

Tuesday, August 3

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

We take your privacy seriously. This policy describes what personal information we collect and how we use it. (This privacy policy is applicable to websites falling under the primary holder including Sarah's Closet.)

Routine Information Collection
All web servers track basic information about their visitors. This information includes, but is not limited to, IP addresses, browser details, timestamps and referring pages. None of this information can personally identify specific visitors to this site. The information is tracked for routine administration and maintenance purposes, and lets me know what pages and information are useful and helpful to visitors.

Cookies and Web Beacons
Where necessary, this site uses cookies to store information about a visitor's preferences and history in order to better serve the visitor and/or present the visitor with customized content.
Advertising partners and other third parties may also use cookies, scripts and/or web beacons to track visitors to our site in order to display advertisements and other useful information. Such tracking is done directly by the third parties through their own servers and is subject to their own privacy policies.

Controlling Your Privacy
Note that you can change your browser settings to disable cookies if you have privacy concerns. Disabling cookies for all sites is not recommended as it may interfere with your use of some sites. The best option is to disable or enable cookies on a per-site basis. Consult your browser documentation for instructions on how to block cookies and other tracking mechanisms.

Special Note About Google Advertising
Any advertisements served by Google, Inc., and affiliated companies may be controlled using cookies. These cookies allow Google to display ads based on your visits to this site and other sites that use Google advertising services. Learn how to opt out of Google's cookie usage. As mentioned above, any tracking done by Google through cookies and other mechanisms is subject to Google's own privacy policies.
About Google advertising: What is the DoubleClick DART cookie? The DoubleClick DART cookie is used by Google in the ads served on publisher websites displaying AdSense for content ads. When users visit an AdSense publisher’s website and either view or click on an ad, a cookie may be dropped on that end user’s browser. The data gathered from these cookies will be used to help AdSense publishers better serve and manage the ads on their site(s) and across the web. Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.

Contact Information
Concerns or questions about this privacy policy can be directed to me for further clarification.