I came across this Momastery post, which encouraged me to no end, and since I’ve been telling everyone in my personal life about it, I wanted to share it with you, too.

Here is the premise:

We are told each and every day that our body is what we offer to the world. Actresses are torn apart for less than flattering photos, and then praised and patted on the head for losing baby weight in 6 weeks, even though it means that all those hours spent in the gym are NOT being used to cuddle, nurture or bond… Don’t even get me started on that one! Advertisements, movies, clothing stores… they all project the same message, that thin is success and anything less is failure. Our bodies are what the world wants. Toned bodies. Appropriately thin bodies. Young-looking bodies.

But Glennon puts forth a different argument. Our bodies are not the masterpiece, our lives are. Our bodies are just the tool that we use to love, create, work… Our lives–that beautiful mixture of relationships, longings, self-expression and worship–are the masterpieces that we are putting out for the world. Focusing on our figures is just dressing up the paintbrush. Yes, we take care of ourselves, but holding out our paintbrush as our “finished product” seems just a little silly, doesn’t it?

My figure is not Hollywood perfect, but it is beautiful. It’s round, it’s soft and it gives terrific hugs. This brain spins stories constantly. These arms can multi-task, hugging a small boy and typing with the other hand. These legs walk me all over town. This face expresses all the emotions that come reeling through me, and the lines around my eyes show you that I’ve smiled most of all. I love my body, and it’s beautiful. But more beautiful still is the life I lead and the love I give.

So let’s keep our priorities straight. It’s not about the paintbrush, it’s about the masterpiece. And that’s where my attention is going to be. ❤