Responsibility Worth Having

I have the honor of teaching a small but dedicated group of girls the fine art of bellydance each week. Their class is set up in much the same way as my "adult" classes - with a good blend of technique, creativity, and conversation.  I didn't necessarily set out to teach them anything more than bellydance, but something else that's pretty neat is happening in class.

I've never sat them down and said, "ok, girls.  Today we're going to talk about self-esteem, body image, and the importance of health over appearance", or "You all know that the media completely distorts the female form and that you are so much more than your outer shell", or "Repeat after me: My health is more important than my weight or the size of my clothes".  Honest!  We do talk about life and dance and strength and wellness and all sorts of other stuff (I'd get into details but what happens at Teen Bellydance stays at Teen Bellydance) but I really don't lecture about anything other than choreography.

So when one of their moms came to me with a story about something her daughter said to her I didn't know what to expect.  Her daughter had caught mom not giving herself enough credit and measuring herself up against societal standards ("beach ready body", for example).  The teen stopped her mom, asked her "what would Malik say if she heard you talking like that?" and continued to pay mom a compliment focused on her HEALTH and the lifestyle changes she'd made over the past year.

I seriously almost cried.

Then I lost my breath.

Something I've been doing, not saying, has seeped into this girls awareness and made an impact - a great one - and I didn't notice.  Wow.  I have a huge responsibility to her and all the girls and all the women I encounter at the studio.  A HUGE responsibility, and so do you.

I 100% agree with what she said.  Health is the most important factor in the quest for wellness.  All bodies, regardless of their shape, are beach ready.  Making lasting lifestyle changes is the best way to improve your health.

We all need to be aware that our children (and other people's children) are watching and learning from what we DO as much as, if not more than, from what we say.   It's the doing that's key.  So, what was it that I did?

1. She sees me at the studio, teaching, at least twice a week (and knows I'm there every day).
2. She sees me, at a robust size 12/14, leading a very active lifestyle.
3. She has not heard me bad-talk myself about my weight or size.
4. She has seen me redirect other adults and teens when they start to bad-talk themselves.

I'm pretty sure that's it, but it's enough.  

Can you join me in taking on the responsibility for this next generation?  Can you commit to numbers  2 & 3, regardless of your size and shape?  Can you commit to number 4?

I promise, the results will be good for you and everyone around you.