eva's reading room

Body image is a term that relates to our feelings about our physical selves-our bodies. Many factors contribute to a person's overall body image: Early upbringing, inner confidence and the relentless pressures of society to conform to an ideal body type.

In the book, Body Image: A Reality Check, author Pamela Shires Sneddon gives you information that can help you understand how you feel about your own body and why you feel this way. The book also helps put bodies into perspective.

You might not realize it, but many people use their bodies as billboards. We use clothes, tattoos, body piercing, and body size to advertise who we are. It's important for us to feel like we can be noticed for who we are.

It's easy to believe that what you wear or do to your body is completely our own choice and style. But, in reality, culture and the media have a lot to do with it.

For example, according to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation and Children Now, 26 to 46 percent of all women are portrayed as "thin or very thin" in the media. But, this wasn't always true!

In the past, if you were a round, hefty female you were associated with beauty and health. If you were thin, you might be considered sick or too poor to eat well. In the 1930s through the 50s, curvy fuller-figured women ruled.

Then in 60s, everything changed. Fashion magazines and wider media coverage gave us a new idea of beauty idea: fashion models were elevated to celebrity status. These new stars set the style of extreme slenderness that has remained in fashion ever since. Straight figures became the new symbol of womanhood. Dieting has become the American pastime; even eight and nine year olds talk and worry about it.

Today, our society is obsessed with weight and looking a certain way. But, I believe that having a good body image isn't about having a great body. It's not about having a tattoo or a piercing. It's about being satisfied with your body and overall appearance, so you can mature into your full potential as a human being.

Accepting your body as it was given to you may be the best thing you can do for yourself.

Instead of focusing on how you look, tune into what you love, what you believe, and what you value. If you have questions about body image, don't be afraid to talk with friends, family, coaches and teachers. Also, you can check out this website: http://weightloss.about.com/cs/bodyimage/

Self-esteem and body image have a very close relationship. In fact, sometimes they're so close that it's hard to separate the two ideas.

Question: If you fix the outer body, will the internal body change? Think about it!

While you're thinking about this, you might also want to read Start Something by Earl Woods Earl is the father of Tiger Woods, and if you don't know, Tiger Woods is the 25-year-old, world champion African-American golfer.

In Start Something, Mr. Woods challenges young people to make a difference in their own lives by making a difference in the lives of others across the world. Here's some of his advice:

Take a look at Making a Difference in the Community section for ideas about where and how to volunteer.

When you were born, you were perfect. Everybody is, and no one has ever figured out how to stay that way. Life has a funny way of teaching us bad habits and letting us fall into ruts that we can't get out of.

In his book, Mr. Woods tells us that we absorb all kinds of negative things-fear, failure, disappointment, jealousy, insecurity and selfishness-that keep us from being strong and positive about who we are and what we can achieve. He says: "You are a miracle and you can make a miracle happen. Celebrate yourself; love yourself, for all the things that make you special and unique."

After reading these two books and after World Trade Center incident, I wanted to put into practice some of Mr. Wood's challenges. I encourage you to do the same. Here are some of my favorites:

'Til the Next Time...

Eva