Hats and Honey Pots.

A lot of thoughts have been whirling through my head recently, with regards to New Year's resolutions and dieting, accepting oneself regardless of appearance, and why all this is so important.

One of the many songs that my children and I sing together is from the Winnie the Pooh movies:

When I up, down and touch the ground
It puts me in the mood,
Up, down and touch the ground
In the mood for food

I am stout, round and I have found
Speaking poundage wise
I improve my appetite
When I exercise

I am short, fat and proud of that
And so, with all my might
I up, down and up, down to
My appetite's delight

While I up, down and touch the ground
I think of things to chew, like honey, milk and chocolate!
With a hefty happy appetite
I'm a hefty happy Pooh

With a hefty happy appetite
He's a hefty happy Pooh

I have fun singing this song with my kids. We jump up and down, proudly pat our bellies and eat pretend food with great relish. For us, it's a song about enjoying our bodies: we enjoy moving them, we enjoy their appearance, and we enjoy the food that fuels them.

The way I see it, we all have a role in our lives. In the stories, Winnie the Pooh's main purpose of existence was to eat honey (and other things). He's a bear. That's what bears do.

What do I do? What is the purpose of my existence? Is it to worry about my weight all the time? Is it to stress over a number -- whether it's on a scale or the back of my dress? Is it to ignore my body's needs and view it as an enemy? NO.

I wear many hats in my life: woman, daughter, mother, wife, manager, employee, nurse, organiser-of-the-troops, teacher, church-goer, chauffeur, the list goes on. I refuse to allow myself to slip on the hat of self-loathing or perpetual dieter. I've been doing pretty good lately.

So, as we stand on the cusp of a new year full of promise and many good things, I wish for us all to be more like Winnie the Pooh, do a few star jumps, and enjoy that pot of honey.