The problem with the images of perfection we see in the media is that they divide the world in two.

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I recently saw this Image:

And then I read about the controversy that surrounded it.

The thing I took away was that for some people there exists two worlds.

The Two Worlds

The first world:

is made up of people that look like this

And This

And They Eat Things Like This:

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And This

And They Post Things On Their Facebook Pages Like This:

And This

The Second World

is made up of people that look like this

And This

And They Eat Things Like This:

And This

And They Post Things On Their Facebook Pages Like This:

And This

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If you read the internet then you probably think

This is what the first world thinks about themselves:

I worked hard to get this body and I’m proud of it.

I’m sexy and people like that, how could that be wrong.

Life is about staying focused, being successful, and looking good.

This is what the second world thinks about themselves:

It’s not my fault I’m overweight. It’s bad genetics, it’s McDonalds, it’s my kids etc.

I hate that I’m fat, but I can’t change it.

I look awful and feel awful about myself

or

I’m proud to be fat and I don’t give a crap what you think.

This is what the first world thinks about the second:

Stop making excuses and start getting in shape.

You have no one to blame for your weight but you. If you worked as hard as I do you could look as good as me.

It sucks that people bully you, but what do you expect. If you really want to shut them up pick up a barbell and put down that fork.

This is what the second world thinks about the first:

Those fitness models probably all have eating disorders.

Fit people have OCD and they are all about shaming fat people.

Those bodies aren’t realistic and they are causing people to hate themselves.

Well I’m here to tell you that all of this is:

BULLSHIT

We all live in one world where people look like this:

And This



And This

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And This

And This

And This

And This

And This

And This

And This

And This

And This

And This

And This

And They Eat Things Like This:

And This

And They Post Things On Their Facebook Pages Like This:

And This

And This

And This

And This

The One World

The world is complicated and diverse. But there is one of it.

So I encourage you to not put yourself in one group or another, but to see that we all long to be more whole, to be more connected, to be wiser, and to be more loving.

The problem with images like this

Is that they divide the world into two.

Those that make excuses and those that don’t

Those that work hard and those that don’t

Those that look like this and those that don’t.

But there aren’t two worlds, there aren’t two moons, and there aren’t two yous.

The you who you are and you who could be.

There is only you perfect and whole just as you are.

And everything you are, or have been, or will be is right there in the center of your chest.

Whenever you forget this –

Close your eyes

And say to yourself

May I be free from fear and anxiety

May I be at ease

May I be happy

Repeat this whenever you need a moment to love who you are right here right now

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Originally appeared at Mind Fit Move

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All photos courtesy of Mind Fit Move