Yes, 2020 was a shit show.
There was significant change, mind-boggling loss, and a collective grief that we will continue to experience for the forseeable future.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the surface many unpleasant things about our society, especially which bodies we consider to be valuable and which ones we're willing to sacrifice.
And still, there was some good to come out of this year.
I didn't create as much as I'd planned in 2020. I only published one blog post where I explored what happens when we don't tell the truth about health. I also released 6 episodes (+ 1 bonus episode) of my new podcast, Hearing Our Own Voice. I'm grateful for the amazing conversations that I was able to have with some of the smartest, most compassionate folks in the health and wellness community. You can listen to the episodes here: Hearing Our Own Voice
Other people have put out great content this year that have helped me to evolve my knowledge around the body hierarchy that affects so much of our lives. I want to share a few of those things with you.
This article by Dawn Serra about why our preferences for certain types of bodies aren't preferences at all. It's a great reminder that the types of bodies we "prefer" are not created in a vacuum. They are heavily influenced by the world around us.
Brene Brown's Unlocking Us podcast interview with Sonya Renee Taylor. There are some gems in this conversation including how Sonya addresses Brene's questions around the Whole30 program. I love how Sonya's truth-telling is compassionate without being coddling.
One of my faves, Dr. Joy Cox, talks about creating communities of our own on the Body Kindness podcast with Rebecca Scritchfield.
And finally, this episode of the Food Heaven podcast that will be especially helpful as we go into a new year: How to Navigate Friends and Family Who Use Triggering Diet Talk
I hope these recommendations are as helpful to you as they've been for me.
Thank you for your support this year and I look forward to a more peaceful 2021 for all of us.
Happy New Year!
Melissa
