There was a season I believed my body was a problem to solve.
Too soft. Too loud. Too slow. A body that broke the rules of perfection. A body that did not behave. I didn’t yet know that my body was doing its best to carry me through everything.

I remember standing in a dressing room under the worst kind of lighting; the fluorescent kind that doesn’t just expose your skin, it exposes your shame. I tugged at the waist of a pair of jeans that didn’t quite fit and whispered, “Get it together,” under my breath. Not to the jeans. To myself. That was the soundtrack for years. Push harder. Eat less. Do more. Disappear, but smile while doing it.

But slowly, gently, the narrative began to shift. It didn’t happen all at once. It started in the smallest ways: The moment I stopped saying hateful things about my thighs. The decision to walk on the beach because it felt good, not to burn off dessert. The time I fed my body nourishing food because I wanted to, not because I “should.”

The biggest apology came in the form of nourishment. Of rest. Of celebration. I started cooking food I loved and letting myself enjoy every bite. I danced in my kitchen to ’90s pop music while roasting vegetables. I didn’t count almonds or track ounces: I lit candles, poured tea, and thanked my body for holding on.

Skillet Shallots & Potatoes with Maple-Dijon Glaze

What You Will Need:

• 1½ pounds baby potatoes, halved
• 2–3 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon ground sage
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

What You Will Need To Do:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. In an oven-safe skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add 1½ pounds of baby potatoes, halved, cut-side down. Sear for 5–6 minutes, until they’re golden brown and beginning to crisp.
4. Add 2–3 shallots, peeled and quartered, and cook for another 3–4 minutes, just until they soften and begin to caramelize.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together:
   • 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
   • 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
   • ¼ teaspoon of ground sage
   • ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme
   • Salt and pepper to taste
6. Pour the glaze over the potatoes and shallots in the skillet. Toss everything gently to coat.
7. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the shallots are deeply golden and jammy.

Kitchen Note: This dish pairs beautifully with roast chicken, grilled salmon, or on it’s own with a good book.

This dish is love in food form. It’s what I make when I want to say: Thank you, body. I’m listening now.

I used to believe being hard on myself was the only way to grow.
Now I know better. The softness I once resented is where the grace lives.
The stretch marks hold my stories. The tired knees have climbed mountains; literal and metaphorical. To apologize to my body means I stop punishing it for changing. It means I stop idolizing the girl who fit into smaller jeans and start honoring the woman who kept walking anyway.

I’m learning to say thank you before I say sorry. Thank you for carrying me. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for still being here.

We all carry shame in our bodies.
But what if, instead of judgment, we offered our bodies a seat at the table?
What if we plated something beautiful and said, This is for you. No strings attached.

What does an apology to your body look like for you?

Gracefully yours,

Help keep the words flowing and the stories brewing.
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Reference
Niequist, S. (2024). Celebrate Every Day. Zondervan.