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Howboringwoulditbeifwealllookedthesame?No,really.Justasitwouldbe
monotonous,offputting,andsurrealforusalltohavethesamehaircolor,eye
tint,andshadeofskin,wearealsonotallmeanttobeexactlythesamesize.
Iactuallythinkfixatingonnumbers,whethertheyappearonthetagstitchedtothe
backofyourblouse,thescalethatsitsonyourbathroomfloor,orasheetofpaper
whereyoupainstakinglytrackthecaloriesineverymeal,isnotthemost
productivepathtowardyourhealthiestself.Thefitofyourclothing,thevibrancy
ofyourcomplexion,theintensityofyourenergy,areall,inmymind,better
gaugesofwhetherornotyouareboostingyourvitalityandperformingatyour
peak.
Tobesure,manyofthemessagesechoingthroughourculturemakesomewomen
feelthatweareallsupposedtofitintothesamewaifish,cookiecuttermold.Even
dancers,oftenintopshapebecauseofthegruelingworkoutsweputourbodies
through,haveplentyofinsecurities.Afterall,wespendagoodpartofourdayin
frontofmirrors.Addtothatthepressuresofbeingjudgedbydanceinstructors,
critics,and,mostimportant,theaudience,anditcanmakeeventhemostconfident
performerfeeltentativeandunsure.Buteventhosewhodonotspendchunksof
theirlivesbeneathaspotlightcanfeelselfconsciousabouttheirfigures.
Youdontneedtointernalizesomeoneelsesrenderingofwhatitmeanstobe
beautifulandhealthy.Ratherthancomparingyourselftophotographsina
magazineorimagesonatelevisionscreen,theonlyvisageyouneedtofocusonis
theonethatstaresbackatyoufromyourownmirror.Andthankfullywomenare
startingtorebelagainstlimitedandunrealisticnotionsofwhatitistobeattractive
Excerpted from the book BALLERINA BODY by Misty Copeland.
Copyright 2017 by Misty Copeland. Reprinted with permission of
Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved.
andareinsteadembracingtheirownuniquebeauty.
Thementalsnapshotofaballerinasbodyhasalsochanged.Womenareflocking
tobarreworkoutstaughtatstudiosandgymslikePureBarre,theDaileyMethod,
andEquinoxbecausetheywanttobewillowybutnotfragile,tonedbutnottiny,
muscularbutnotmasculine.Theyunderstandthattheperfectbodyisonethatis
robustandhealthy.
Sometimesweturntostrictdietstotrytoattainthebodywedesire.Butdietingis
oftenanephemeralfix,ratherthanalongterm,sustainablesolution.Youcan
carveoutthephysiqueandlifestyleyouwantwithoutlimitingyourselftoa
handfuloffoodsorseverelyrestrictingyourcalories.Thehealthierwaytoachieve
yourgoalsisbyadjustingyourlifestylebitbybit,incorporatingsubtlechanges
thatyoucanthencommittoandliveby.
Ieventuallyrealizedtherewasnothingwrongwiththenaturalchangesthatmy
bodyhadundergone,butIhadtolearntoworkwiththisnewphysique,tofindthe
exercisetechniquesitneededtopushthroughhoursuponhoursofrehearsal.Ihad
tolearntolistentothisnewbody,toknowwhatnutritionitrequiredtofuel
performancesthatrequiredsheerathleticismblendedwithadancersgrace.Ihad
toembracemynewphysicalselftoattainmygoalsofmaximumhealthandvigor.
Asadancer,mybodyismyinstrument.Ispeaktotheaudiencethroughevery
muscleandtendon,witheveryglissadeandrenvers.WhenIrecognizedthose
truths,myfitnessjourneybecameoneofjoyandnotfrustration.Iwantedsimply
torespectmybody,togetthemostoutofitthatIcould,inordertolivemybest
life.
Yourbodyisessentialtoyouaswell.Thatswhyitssoimportanttoloveit,to
havefaithinit.Takeastackofstickynotesandpasteremindersofallitdoesfor
youalloveryourmirror,orjotwordsofappreciationonthelinedpagesofyour
journalMylegspropelledmeoutofbedthismorning.Theseshouldersgavea
piggybackridetomychildren.Myarmsallowedmetorakethesoilinmygarden
onaSundayafternoon.
TherehavebeentimeswhenIdoubtedmyself,questioningifIhadwhatittookto
advancefromamemberofthecorpsdeballettosoloist,andthen,oneday,to
principal.IhadmanydayswhenIthoughtIdnevermasterthemixofexercise
andfoodthatwouldhelpmemaximizemyenduranceandeffectivenessasa
dancer.Butanendlessloopofselfdoubtchipsawayatourfeelingsofselfworth,
stiflingourmotivationandcripplingourmomentumbeforewetakeevenourfirst
step.
WhennegativethoughtsriseinyourmindandstarttogoroundandroundMy
stomachistoojiggly!Mythighsaretoowobbly!Myarmsaretooflabby!push
thoseselfcritiquesawayandrefocusonhowsingularyouare,andhow,with
smallchangesandsmalleffortseachandeveryday,youcanbecomestronger,
morevibrant,moresculpted,nomatterwhatyournaturalshape.
Byshiftingmyfocus,changingmyselfperception,andshoringupmyspirituality,
IhavecometolovethebodythatIamin.Themusclesthatripplethroughmylegs
allowmetodothirtytwofouettswithoutcrumplingtothefloor.Thecurves
thatswellbeneathmyclotheshelpmetorelaythemessagetotheworldthatyou
canbehealthy,fit,and,yes,voluptuoustoo.Myphysique,likethecolorofmy
skin,ishelpingpeoplereconsiderwhataballerinalookslike.
Youarefiercely,lovingly,anddivinelyyou.Myballetbasedfitnessplanissimply
goingtohelpyoumaximizethewonderfulbodythatyoualreadyhaveandenable
youtobeasfit,joyful,anddynamicasyoucanpossiblybe.