Twice a month, I meet at the local yoga studio and for a meditative writing class. Each week, we are given an assignment and some reading for our book Writing From the Inner Self. This book has different meditation practices and writing exercises to help you tap into your creativity and enhance your writing. Our last exercise was to write about our nose. In the past, I would have dreaded this topic. I would have caused me anxiety and I would have felt self-conscious the entire time writing and reading. I probably would have avoided the class or refused to share, aka made myself the victim. But luckily, I have made peace with my nose. You see, I broke it when I was two. It is quite polish in nature and the break didn’t help it any. Growing up, I would get nose bleeds a lot, which now I think may have been from allergies. As a teenager, my nose just seemed huge. In the 7th grade (ugh middle schoolers, so cruel) our profiles were traced, we wrote down adjectives for our personality, and our nameless profiles were hung outside the classroom. We had to guess who everyone was. 100% of the people got mine.
In high school it was just an easy jab. My friends could make comments. We’d all laugh a little. But I honestly didn’t find it funny. I wanted a nose job, but (thankfully) never got one.
And then I started to feel comfortable with who I was and how I looked. I realized my nose was strong, like me. It was unique. It had character. It had a story and was interesting.
So for my writing assignment, I wrote an apology to my nose
“Dear Nose,
After many years of struggle, name-calling, and resistance, I want to formally let you know that I’m sorry and I forgive you.
I forgive you for starting out small and cute as a button, only to break at the age of 2. I forgive you for being sensitive; causing countless surprise nosebleeds and sneeze attacks when I was younger. And I forgive you for constantly being in my line of sight and making it hard to find sunglasses that fit.
Most of all, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I hated you for so long. I’m sorry so many people picked on you. I’m sorry that for years I wanted to change your shape and make you smaller. I’m sorry I refused pictures of your profile, afraid of the angle.
I realize now, in recent years, that you are unique. You broke the mold- for real. You help me breathe deeper and clue me in to if I’m getting sick. Thank you for being unique. Thank you for the quirks. Thank you for being strong.”
So I’m sure you are wondering WHY am I writing about this? And HOW does this incorporate into Workout Wednesday? Well no worries –no crazy nostril breathing exercises today. In fact, today’s workout is an Energy Flow Barre workout. In Barre, you connect to your awareness, you stay focused, and you strengthen – first the superficial muscles, then the deeper ones. You learn to take it deeper, connect in your workout, and be in tune with YOUR Body, exactly the way it is. Check it out on YouTube or Pinterest.
So go on. Enjoy it. Lengthen, sculpt, and tune in.
Check back tomorrow for a delicious lunchtime treat – I’ve been having TONS of this one lately.
And as always, the best stuff is saved for the newsletter – which went out today. Didn’t get one? Check your inbox. Didn’t subscribe? Click the link at the top of the blog.
Peace and love,
Jessi
