Positively (Im)perfect

Originally published on August 23, 2011 I'm excited to share my first published magazine article! Thanks to all my dear family and friends for your encouragement throughout the process, and especially to my greatest inspiration when it comes to writing and life in general--my beautiful mother! The following piece appears on pages 7-8 of the  Fall 2011 Issue of Radiant Magazine : FINDING TRUE HEALING by Megan Hjelmstad Radiant Magazine, Fall 2011 Issue ( credit )  “Well, honey, you’re the Captain of your own ship! Good luck!” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard something like this from an OB-GYN, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. I left the appointment with loads of pills but no explanation, and true to the Army way, it seemed I had only two options: control or failure. I walked back to my dorm, frustrated that I’d left with more questions than when I’d arrived, and wondered what to do next. I’d had painful menstrual cycles since high school; at

Originally published on August 11th, 2011 Ok, ladies (and you guys manly enough to admit it), it’s time to face the music: we are not nice to ourselves. It’s clear that our society focuses on form over function, and most of us take the bait without a fight. We’re masters at holding up the magnifying glass to pick and prod at every little imperfection we can find. And by degrading ourselves to such a level that we can’t find one good thing to say about our bodies, we consciously or subconsciously do the same to others. We constantly compare ourselves (and others) to what we’re fed to believe is ‘prefect,’ and when we don’t measure up (as we’re bound not to) we become caught in the vicious cycle of superficial self-betterment and shrinking self-esteem. We might as well be walking tabloids.  (Cue another frantic yet futile search for miracle creams that  surely  will erase wrinkles, acne, under-eye circles, cellulite, ghostly skin...).