The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love

by Sonya Renee Taylor

When we hear someone’s truth and it strikes some deep part of our humanity, our own hidden shames, it can be easy to recoil into silence. We struggle to hold the truths of others because we have so rarely had the experience of having our own truths held. Social researcher and expert on vulnerability and shame Brené Brown says, “If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.”

become an oak tree.’ Natural intelligence intends that every living thing become the highest form of itself and designs us accordingly.”

We belabor ourselves with all the things we must do to fulfill our purpose or

Contrary to purpose, natural intelligence does not require we do anything to achieve it.

Radical self-love is an engine inside you driving you to make your calling manifest.

Radical self-love is not a destination you are trying to get to; it is who you already are,

radical self-love builds a foundation strong enough to carry the enormous power of our highest calling while also connecting us to the potential power of all bodies. If

When we speak of the ills of the world—violence, poverty, injustice—we are not speaking conceptually; we are talking about things that happen to bodies.

have never seen a toddler lament the size of their thighs, the squishiness of their belly. Children do not arrive here ashamed of their race, gender, age, or differing abilities. Babies love their bodies! Each discovery they encounter is freaking awesome. Have you ever seen an infant realize they have feet? Talk about wonder!

body shame is a fantastically crappy inheritance.

We didn’t give it to ourselves, and we are not obligated to keep it.

Our relationships with our own bodies inform our relationships with others.

Being sorry is literally a lesson in our DNA.

the more unapologetically I showed up in my body, in my community, my job, family, and world, one of two things would happen: either I would pass on to others the power and permission to be their unapologetic selves, or others would feel indicted and intimidated by my unapologetic being and would attempt to contain or shrink me.

Hating your body is like finding a person you despise and then choosing to spend the rest of your life with them while loathing every moment of the partnership.