Being that one of my resolutions is to learn to love the skin I am in; I was beyond shocked when I saw the cover of the new People Magazine featuring Heidi Montag 2.0.  She landed the cover, and while I guess that is something she desires, the reason for it makes me sad, confused, and a little upset.  Why any 23 year old, beautiful woman feels the need to undergo 10 surgeries in one day, well…it confounds me.  Also the fact that her decision to do this is pretty much universally accepted, I have yet to read of any backlash, is of grave concern to me as well.  Our society seems more astonished and appalled at where Tiger’s been putting his clubs, than the fact that this girl mutilated her entire body in the name of beauty. What if the surgeries left her scarred…would we be so accepting??  I need to comment on this, and  I will try to do so in a non-judgmental fashion…however please forgive me, because it is hard for me not to judge (also something I am working on to become a better person-however I have a long way to go in that department)

I guess what bothers me most is the fact that not only young girls, but women of any age look at this behavior and think – wow, if she needed all that surgery, and she was already pretty, what does that say about me.  The other message she sends, is that she feels like she needed the surgery so she could be the best she could be…except, placing so much emphasis on being the best you can be based on your outside features just sets one up for so much failure in the future.  She mentions in the article that she is already planning additional surgeries, as it is almost never-ending.  She cannot wait to go larger on top, if you will, than her current DDD size.  Her body could not accommodate anything larger than the DDD now – well shouldn’t that be a clue that maybe bigger is not better??

I am not going to lie, and say I have never felt the pressure to be skinnier, prettier, more top heavy.  I live in Los Angeles, and beautiful women are everywhere here.  It is a challenge not to compare yourself to actresses and models, especially when you see them in your everyday life.  The reason I embarked on my journey to be comfortable with who I am, is because I don’t want to end up so focused on the outside that I can never be happy.  It becomes an obsession, and it doesn’t matter if you live in Omaha, or Beverly Hills, the idea of perfection is everywhere.  This interview and making her story of such importance just downplays the issue here.  In my opinion, this is someone who needs serious help.  The doctor says she does not suffer from bad body image…but when you change the outside, but you do not change the inside, you are still going to feel the same.  She may be happy now, but for how long?  She is already looking forward to more surgery. 

She says she is obsessed, yet the magazine does not portray it negatively at all.   So where does the responsibility lie?  Who is to blame here?  Can we really blame anyone?  I guess the real question is how do we change this?  I feel like we are on our way to a world obsessed with unattainable perfection.  And for some, they already live in that world.  So how do we not get caught up?  Therein lays the magic question.  And I wish I had a magic answer, but I don’t.  I do however have some ideas on how we can try, and I think it comes down to doing the things that make you feel good.  Eating right, exercising, and taking time for ourselves.  I think meditation is key to accepting yourself.  And for those of us new to yoga, and meditation, we can’t expect things to change immediately.  It is a process, but going to the gym, or doing something as simple as turning on your computer and taking a class at www.YogaVibes.com is a step in the right direction.  Enlightenment comes from within, not from outside.  I think it is much harder for us in our Western culture to attain enlightenment with all the distractions thrown our way.  But it does not mean we cannot or should not try.  It is scary to accept oneself as we are, faults and all – but what freedom, and what love could you offer the world if you truly love and accept yourself. 

By Laura K., YogaVibes Ambassador

As we begin another year, actually another decade, the all important question of resolutions has once again arisen. Now I know we are already almost half way through the month - my how time flies...but we are still at the beginning. For me I am starting a new journey, and I cannot be more excited, as I am on a personal path to self discovery. This means many things to me: eating better, taking care of my physical body, as well as my mental body, and most importantly - learning to accept and love myself and those around me, no matter what the circumstances. This is no easy feat for someone like me, who is a borderline neurotic, sometimes selfish, body-obsessed, nothing-is-good-enough type A personality. This is exactly why I need yoga in my life.

There are many of us who are always on the go. Whether it's work, play, working out, or traveling...the point is we do not take time for ourselves. There is always some excuse we make for ourselves: no time, no energy, nowhere to practice yoga, it's raining - you name it...there is an excuse for not taking care of ourselves. This is why I am so excited about YogaVibes.com. It really removes the excuses, at least for me. I am new to yoga, and sometimes going to a studio can be a bit intimidating, especially when I am surrounded by graceful, flexible bodies. Now, just for the record, I am not out of shape, but I am carrying a little extra weight around; one of my goals is to drop those 10 extra pounds. At any rate, graceful is not an adjective I would use to describe myself. Powerful, strong, energetic, sure...but graceful - NOPE!!

To have a venue where I can stream a class, roll out my mat, and practice for an hour, on my time, and at my pace is integral to my success at keeping my resolutions. I also travel quite frequently, which puts a strain on maintaining my yoga practice, let alone improving it. I am hoping through this blog, and through YogaVibes.com, I will be one step closer to becoming more self-aware. I hope to grow through yoga, and through this community. It is a challenge to put my ego aside, and try something new - maybe fall on my face attempting crow pose - but how else will I learn? And what better time of year to start on this exciting journey, than at the beginning of a new decade?! I don't know how this will go, or if I even have anything to offer, but I am going to try. Oh, maybe I should introduce myself...my name is Laura K., and I invite all of you to embark on your own journey as well! Join me at the Beginner Vibe section of YogaVibes.com.