Today we’re going to be talking about body image and eating disorders in 2020.This conversation is with your host Tessa Lloyd and her inner critic body image voice, “Sassy Saskia”. Saskia is a guest star on today’s show and has been a supporting actress in my life for a long time now. A few years ago I named my inner critic voice as a way of objectively viewing this voice of fear and ego, and this has ultimately stopped me from letting Saskia’s words buckle me at the knees and instead let me co exist with her.⁣The first time I acknowledged I had an “it’s complicated” relationship with staying small, was when I was 11 years old. When I was fifteen it began again, and again at seventeen. Not feeling good enough, literally wanting to shrink away. Thinking if I can just be SMALL, the rest will fall into place. Skipping meals, exercising compulsively. Light headed, cranky, anxious, self conscious. I was so young, and you’d think I would have learnt from that right? But this voice that encourages you to be small in every single aspect of your life is so strong. Stay quiet. Stay sweet. Stay settled. Stay small.⁣ ⁣Saskia tells me that when I am smaller, I am easier to love. Easier to care for. In every aspect; my voice, my thoughts, the way I show up at work, my opinions, my body. Can anyone else relate? Can anyone else hear that little voice on a low day that says, “Just be quiet. Just be good. Just stay small.” It’s a load of horse shit but it can seem so very real. ⁣⁣⁣And the thing is; no matter how small you make yourself, you don’t stay safe from the world. You aren’t sweet, you aren't quiet, you aren’t settled. This anxious pathetic voice will cause ripple effects throughout your life. Staying small and being your best self, are two concepts that can’t coexist. ⁣ ⁣Today we’re going to be discussing:The sort of things our inner body image voice can say to us on the daily and what they make this mean about our self worth and place in the worldThe influences we’re surrounded by in 2020 that contribute to this voice What I’ve learnt to say my inner critic voice “Sassy Saskia” when she’s had a few champagnes and is ready to pour salt on my wounds The tools that I implement daily to co-exist with Saskia and not let her reduce me to a very unhealthy way of living life Here’s to more growing together and discovering ways to become more of ourselves. Thank you for tuning into today’s episode, I hope you can take something from it that supports your feelings of self worth x