Size 14 trapped in a size 12 body ©

Sometimes when I tell people my clothes size – not that I do this often I must add, maybe just if they are buying me a top, or I’m ordering a t-shirt for a run perhaps – I tell them I’m a size 12 and immediately feel the devil on my left shoulder cackling “hahahaha you aren’t a size 12, you’re a size 14 really. You just want them to THINK you’re a size 12”. I feel like people are looking at me thinking is she mad – surely she is bigger than a size 12.

I, am a size 14 trapped in a size 12 body.

My brain tells me I’m a size 14 but my body shows otherwise. Since finding this revelation I have started to use it as metaphor in my work. Just yesterday I was speaking with a client. As a child she had a very poor standard of living. She was often hungry and didn’t have particularly nice clothes. Today she always looks beautiful; however she is that poor dishevelled child in the body of a lovely, bubbly beautifully dressed woman. If we live with something for too long, when we become what we want to be we can sometimes forget to leave behind the thoughts and feelings that came with what we were.

We feel what we are but others see what we are. Therefore, even though we may still feel how we used to look others are seeing what we are today. A little tip to leave you with – fake it; If you don’t feel the way you look pretend you do, other people won’t guess you are not quite as confident. It will make you feel better as you radiate confidence and happiness and reap the rewards that come with this. If this doesn’t help come and see me ;-)

©Copyright Juliet Hollingsworth 2010