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In late April, former Olympic Champion, Bruce Jenner went public with his transgender identity – a struggle he had been battling with for his entire life. With June being ‘World Pride’ month, I thought it was only fitting to open it with a commentary blog on Bruce Jenner’s courage, and more specifically, why being proud of who you are is so important.

I’ve always been a proud supporter of the LGBT community, and after hearing Bruce Jenner speak so honestly, so sincerely and so relatable, I became even more empowered to comment on this issue.

Jenner’s story is only one of so many. An estimated 2 to 5% of the word’s population is transgender. Unfortunately for many, societal ridicule has impacted them negatively, overshadowing their self-pride for feelings of shame, embarrassment and self-hate. I can only hope that Jenner’s decision to come forward will give others a reason to showcase their pride as well.

In cased you missed Bruce Jenner’s interview, here’s a short (but very inspiring) clip.

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Just last week, Vanity Fair introduced Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner), and she’s gorgeous! Since her reveal, many people have gone to social media in support of Caitlyn. 

Caitlyn Jenner’s pride will be recognized this year, as she will receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at this year’s ESPY awards. Jenner will be joined by her family on stage, which take place on July 15. ESPN is calling the event Jenner’s “first major public appearance.”

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Pride is something that we must find from within. It is not a destination, but rather a journey. Pride is continual personal growth that is founded on the illusion of self-love. Loving yourself for who you truly are will assert feelings of pride that grow with you during the path of life.

Moreover, pride is courage. I want all of you to have the courage to move past societal expectations of the physical, and learn to love yourself exactly as you are. Now is the time to ignore cultural mandates and set the world on fire just as you are. It’s time to live a full and abundant life where you love yourself first. Go get ‘em!

I also invite you to check out my book ‘Weighing Love,’ which was written with the intention to help anyone who is dealing with eating disorders/disordered eating, self-esteem issues, body image issues, and negative thoughts, or for anyone who is trying to reach touch with their authentic self.

Additionally, if you have any further questions, comments or would like to book a 2-hour complimentary coaching session with me, please email me at info@paulagalli.com.

Xo Paula

Yesterday my friends of over 20 years threw me a beautiful baby shower!

It was a lovely day filled with laughter, fun, love and excitement.

I honestly felt like the most special person in the world, as the room was filled with important friends from all walks of my life. 

I am so grateful to know that my baby girl is going to be supported by such wonderful strong women in her life.

Being almost 34 weeks pregnant my body has surely undergone a huge change! 

I always think about how this experience would have been drastically different had I not learned to truly love myself, my body, the food that I eat and my life. 

As this month is dedicated to LOVING YOUR BODY, I wanted to take today to share with you a little poem that I wrote a while back through watching my body shift into the beautiful baby making machine it has become today! 

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My body is no longer just my body, but the home of a little baby girl.

My body is no longer just my body, as it changes with it’s new arrival.

My body is no longer just my body, as it will soon be able to provide food to another through my breasts.

My body is no longer just my body, as my heart beats much more fast.

My body is no longer my body, where shape, size and looks are not my concern.

I don’t care about being that size or number or how many calories I burn.

My body is no longer my body where ridicule & self-judgement lies.

My body has truly now become that temple that I used to always long to see through those eyes.

My body is no longer just my body, as it is up to much bigger things that I even understand.

My body is no longer just my body, as a miracle is happening inside it until the end.

It stretches and expands, yet it does so all on its own.

It knows what I need to do in order to grow stronger and protect this baby girl from harm. 

My body does what it is intended to do

Because my body is no longer just my body, for inside resides a beautiful blessing

– a gift, an angel, a baby boo. 

[line]

I encourage everyone to truly love their body for what it is today. Whether you are pregnant or not, work on appreciating your body for all of the amazing things it does for you without you even asking for it to.

Once you and your body can TRULY become friends, I can guarantee you that your entire life will shift.

Hope you enjoyed the poem – so grateful to share some of my special day and insights with you!

XO

Paula

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Whenever someone tells me they eat healthy, but are unhappy with their body, I ask them if they practice mindful eating. Most people are completely caught off guard and wonder what I am even talking about. The truth is, most people do not practice mindful eating, not because they don’t want to, but rather, because they haven’t been taught how.

A mindful person is fully present and lives in the moment without any judgment. When it comes to mindful eating, mindfulness helps you become fully aware of your body’s cues, so you know exactly when you are hungry and when you are full. Moreover, mindfulness helps you break free from poor eating habits by examining thoughts, feelings, and external pressures that affect how and why you eat (or don’t eat).

Our relationship with food should be one of the closest (and loving) relationships we have. Sadly, for many, it is the other way around. Many people have problematic relationships with food, which is why I created the following mindful eating exercises below. Theses exercises teach you to be a mindful eater, and will ultimately help you maintain a healthy and respectful relationship with the food that you eat.

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1. Know Your Food

Connect with the story behind your food. The best way to do so is by rekindling your relationship with it. For example, connect with your food by paying attention to what is in it. You could grow your own veggies, visit the farmer’s market, or bake your own bread. Whatever the case may be, ask questions. Who grew this? Where did it come from? How did it get here? What’s in it? By asking these questions you’ll begin to gain a deeper appreciation for the food that you eat.

 2. Eat With Intention

Not only is it important to pay attention to where your food came from, but it’s also important to know your intention behind eating. For example, food is your provider of energy. It nourishes your cells. It feeds your brain. And it certainly helps your organs function. Once you have adopted eating with intention, you’ll begin to understand how it is serving your body.

 3. Gauge Your Hunger Level

Rating your hunger before you eat can help to reduce emotional eating. Ask yourself: how hungry am I on a scale from 1 to 10? Aim to eat when you are physically hungry and eat until you are satisfied, leaving yourself neither stuffed nor starving.

4. Eliminate Distractions When Eating

We live in a world full of distractions, and it’s not uncommon for families to eat in front of the TV, or with mobile devices by their side. Let’s face it – eating alongside technology can leave us completely disconnected to our food. Consider making mealtime a technology-free zone.

 5. Savor The Flavor

Bring all of your senses to the table. Breathe in the aroma of a fresh loaf of bread. Notice the texture of ice cream on your tongue. Truly taste what you eat and experience it from start to finish.

 6. Plan For Tomorrow

Get what you need for tomorrow ready today. Planning your meals ahead of time will give you the satisfaction of knowing that your meals will be tasty and nourishing, rather than settling for something that’s quick, easy and potentially not nourishing.

 If you would like to learn more about mindful eating, or if you have concerns about your eating habits, feel free to contact me for a complimentary 2-hour coaching session at info@paulagalli.com. You can also book your session online here.

 

 

 

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In early April, Dove released a new worldwide campaign called #ChooseBeautiful. The campaign was implemented to convey how women perceive themselves, and more specifically, how they perceive beauty. The campaign traveled to 20 different countries, interviewing 6,400 women between the ages of 18 and 64.

The video was shot in five cities: Shanghai, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, London and Delhi, where women were given the option to walk through one of two doors. One door said “Beautiful,” and the other said, “Average.” If you have yet to see this video, you’ll be shocked at the results. I know I was.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpgd6qR-5Jg

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96% of participants said they don’t see themselves as beautiful, however 80% believed every woman has something beautiful about her. The conclusion Dove came to is that women can see beauty in others, just not in themselves.

There are so many things wrong with this. First and foremost, the ideological perception of what beautiful is has been so wrong, for so long. Why is it that women see others as beautiful, but not themselves? Why do we live in a world where women constantly compare themselves to others? The reoccurring problem here is that women allow others to choose whether they are beautiful or not. Yes, is important to see beauty in others, but it is just as important to see beauty in yourself.

Women should choose to be beautiful not because of their appearance, but rather because of what comes from within. Beautiful should never be a label that limits your self-definition.

 Beautiful is happy. Beautiful is clumsy. Beautiful is strong. Beautiful is scared. Beautiful is confident. Beautiful is indecisive. Beautiful is kind. Beautiful is stubborn. Beautiful is you.

What are your thoughts on this campaign? Is the video empowering? Or does it reinforce the ideological standards of what society perceives beautiful as?

Xo Paula