Today’s guest, Rebecca McConville, takes a deeper look into the possibly overlooked and important imprints we leave on our little ones. We all are but a reflection of our environments ultimately. Please share your own thoughts as well!
Mirror, mirror on the wall, am I a hypocrite after all?
One of the biggest reasons I love my job is the amazing people I work with and the opportunity to build relationships with them. Their trust in me as their dietitian is that I not only talk the talk, but walk the walk. Many times in my career the statements I have echoed to my clients have come back to gnaw in my ear like a pesky gnat. Humble pie can be a hard slice to swallow with an aftertaste that if I am going to be authentic to these incredible yet vulnerable people I MUST do the same as I tell them.
I have always prided myself on how resilient and tough I thought I was, however if I speak honestly these two traits are not what they used to be. As a collegiate athlete I had the energy of a three-year-old on a Halloween candy high and a pain threshold so high that I was up hours after having an emergency c-section hell bent on being able to be with my baby as much as possible even if my legs were like wet noodles. Now I find myself scheduling power naps in so I can function at the end of the day and the slightest possibility of a cold has me trading in my chardonnay for Emergen-C cocktails because who has time to be sick?
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The biggest test of all is now my role as a mother. As independent as we believe these little humans to be they are also absorbing everything you do so that they then can model it. As a mother of a young daughter it breaks my heart the societal messages she will grow up with. For Heaven Sakes Dirty Dancing was controversial in my day now that would be a Disney movie.
This made me think of remarks I have made or heard others say that have fallen upon small, impressionable ears.
- When we get ready in the morning are we mirroring a woman that is confident in herself not based on how her outfit looks but at what she is getting ready to tackle that day?
- As you step on the scale are you giving the impression that the little “hunk” of metal is a grade of who you are?
- When you are on your “diet” are you giving the impression that you are not enough and you need to change you?
- When we tell them to go outside and run around to get their energy out what do you think they associate when you say “I have to go run to burn off this ice cream”?
- Do we walk proudly as we are responsible for bringing this amazing person into the world, or do we crawl into a shell so we may not see the amazing blessings that have come our way?
I often wonder if possibly God has put a timeline on these traits that I admired at one point so that I may slow down, enjoy the day with more diligence? Making myself more aware of pain so that I actually pay attention to what is hurting me? If I could mirror anything to my daughter, my friends, my clients, the world it is that we need no explanations for who we are just take me as I am and allow for grace as I am guaranteed to make some mistakes!
“Though she be but little, she is fierce!” William Shakespeare
Becca is a relationship expert in that she helps you explore and strengthen your relationship with food, weight, body image and sports performance — helping to find a place where these can mutually co-exist and thrive with enjoyment. Visit her website for more information and be sure to check out her podcast!
If you’d like my style, check out how to work with me HERE. Or to have your blog featured in one of my guest posts, fill out the contact me form. I’d love to hear from you. Grab your FREE download of how to engage with your child even when you are frantically busy. Thank you!
