The one change that worked: I learned to love my arms – after decades of hating and hiding them
It took a heatwave to get me to shed my shame and my sleeves, but now there’s no stopping me. Life is cooler in every way ‘Aren’t you hot in that?” was the question that plagued my summers as a teenager. I would never bare my arms; instead, I would cover up with a trusty black cardigan. Even T-shirts felt too revealing, too tight on the arm, too clinging to the body. I needed layers to feel…
The turning point came during a scorching heatwave, when my years-long avoidance of bare arms finally ended. For decades, I had hidden my arms under cardigans and bulky sleeves, shunning sleeveless tops and dresses. Even in my 20s and 30s, I maintained a closet full of baggy, sleeved T-shirt dresses, convinced that revealing any skin would be an affront to my body image.
However, as temperatures soared and I felt increasingly uncomfortable in my layers, I began to question my irrational fear of sun exposure. It was then that I realized the shackles of body shame were holding me back from enjoying the simple pleasures of summer. No longer would I hide my arms behind fabric; I embraced them, and the newfound freedom was liberating.
Life became cooler in every sense, as I no longer felt the need to hide from the sun or my own reflection.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
