Oprah Rocks Anyway

So while I couldn’t possibly afford any of the gift ideas in this month’s magazine, I was still duly inspired by her holiday message. Which is Awe and Miracles. Sigh. Gets me every time. It’s funny, because last month the magazine had no Thanksgiving type message pulling through the magazine, but this month they hit it out of the park. It actually changed my perception of myself. Yeah. There’s a reason she’s a billionaire.

Okay, so I am on vacation as I write this and that tends to change my perception of life anyway — I think that’s supposed to be the point of vacation? But there are great articles about miracles, a cool essay about actually hunting, killing and cleaning it yourself. Somehow spiritually moving. 

There was a hilarious story about an ESTJ (Classic Structure) grandma who had taken over her retirement home as a de facto “Godfather,” which has particular resonance for me because I was blessed with one of those “does not mince words” grandmas and I miss her dearly when it’s time to speak a harsh truth. 

But the feature that got me going was “A Weight off Your Mind,” based on the new book by Marianne Williamson called A Course in Weight Loss. I never struggled with my weight until the last four years, and it has been a debilitating and troubling affliction. What I realized reading the article, was that my extra weight has very little to do with overeating (to a point!) and everything to do with my perception of myself, my self-worth, and my self image. Kelly and I started a company that urges people to accept themselves for who they are so their homes and lives can be easier, but how can we do that if we don’t accept our bodies for what they are? 

The essay reminded me of our stylist friend Lani Inlander urging me to throw away my size 4s, 6s, and gasp, 8s. (I held onto two or three 10s, and there’s a problem with that, ahem but progress not perfection!) She said that whenever her clients did this they promptly lost weight. While this hasn’t been true for me, it was a liberating feeling. I have room in my closet for my luggage now, and there’s space in it, breathing space. When we let go, we can truly begin to live.

Marianne Williamson also has practical list making ideas which will appeal to the Organic Structures, Smart Structures and Classics, and help the Funs, Organic Freedoms and Smart Freedoms stretch their natural preferences. So far, as an Organic I have found a semblance of peace just in the reading of the article, in putting some of these new perceptions to work in our head, in asking God, the universe, the lightbulb to take on my weight and self-perception problem. I am a sexy 168 pound, 5′ 4′ woman and I am grateful for those blessings and I look good, I am good. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll get working on those lists.