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Wonderful, I love your story, and the fact that you have five children is a superpower. I hope that all of us women will look at ourselves differently through the lens of our deep wise powers that keep the world going, and that we will continue to welcome our new version as we are reborn and reinvented as we age and embrace our full range of emotions. :)

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Thank you so much, Katerina! I love how you said "embrace our full range of emotions."

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Thank you <3! I just feel like we need more inclusion, which is why I write; I want people to feel their feelings, not feel inadequate. It is critical to understand that society's beauty standards are frequently unrealistic and unattainable for many people, and I was there for a while wondering what I am doing wrong. My goal is to find the form of beauty that I believe suits me rather than being pressured to fit. I also understand that it is not wrong to feel whatever you feel; it is enough that everywhere we look, everything suggests that we are not doing it right and that we need to be fixed. Enjoy your awesome wins! :D

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That's a fantastic motivation for writing, Katerina! I recently read something about "body neutrality," in which we don't really "love" our stretch marks or wrinkles, etc. But we don't deprecate these z either. We just accept the parts of us that are imperfect as being human. Sounds like you're on that path with the work you do.

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Aug 18Liked by Jeannie Ewing

Lately, when I see pictures of younger me, I can see beauty in my face and my body, in a way that I couldn’t before. It made me think how distorted my perception can be about things and how I am letting it influence my life.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The questions you ask really resonate with me.

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Hi Sara,

Thanks for what you shared here. I agree with you that perception shapes so much of how we see ourselves, others, the world. Sometimes that shift in reframing the way we look at ourselves can be the impetus to our healing. I'm grateful my essay resonates with you.

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Your body has done amazing things. Mine has, too. I think it's so important for us to remember that. I'm right there with you, trying to keep my aging body healthy so I can live long enough to write everything I need to write. And your picture is beautiful. <3

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Thank you, Katrina. I love that - let's make our goal healthy so that we can write everything we need to write. Couldn't agree more. It feels weird to hear affirmations about my personality or appearance, mostly because I've heard more of the criticisms than the good things. So thank you for that.

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Apr 5Liked by Jeannie Ewing

I love this story. I had 3 boys in 3 1/2 years. Now 69 I’m learning to love myself. I need to start walking again and lift weights. We have a home gym downstairs. Congratulations on taking responsibility for your health.

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Thank you, Colleen. I think sometimes it takes us years to get to that place of self nurturance. And that's okay. We can choose to begin any time, at any age. Sending you ❤️

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