28/365 - Robyn's Liberated Belly

Like many women, I’ve never been a big fan of my belly. When I was younger, the entire mood of my day could be decided by its flatness, firmness or the lack thereof. I viewed it as my enemy starting at age 10 when I was hit by an early puberty and what I referred to as my “pooch”, i.e., protruding lower belly – which no amount of sit-ups or dieting could completely eradicate.

When I turned 45, I decided it was time to rid myself of some long-standing (30 years) addictions, namely alcohol and cigarettes. And I took up belly dancing and learned to love my belly, pooch and all. The big turning point was the first time I performed in front of an audience, with my entire belly fully exposed. It was both horrifying and wonderfully liberating. The wonderful thing about belly dancing is that it’s for everyone – the young, the old, the fat, the thin, the toned and the not-so-toned. Nothing will help you embrace your body, regardless of its shape, than the pure joy of dancing and laughing with like-minded women.

This picture was taken three days after having a laparoscopic hysterectomy and removal of an ovarian cyst. It may not be pretty, but it’s all mine and is a testament to my freedom from my addictions and the reclamation of my health – and my life, which I hope to share with my friends and family for a long time to come. I look forward to when I’m healed and can show off my new scars while I dance.

With bandages and surgical glue.

Without the bandages....ouch

Sending you lots of healing energy Robyn! Thank you for sharing your belly story! xo -Lu