Fabulous Figures At Sea
I just spent 7 days on a cruise to the Western Caribbean, Central America, and the Bahamas. It would sound super luxurious except for one small fact: I HATE BOATS!
Ok, maybe hate is a strong word. How about – I am not a fan of sea sickness. Or giant floating casinos and buffets. That’s what a cruise is really, one floating hotel on water.
However, I brought my entire family with me (made them go, actually) and sucked up my fear of buffet lines and smoke filled gambling rooms – all for a GREAT reason. I was doing a week of speaking events for a special event on the boat called “Figure At Sea”.
“Figure At Sea” was a promotional cruise on Carnival Cruise Ships and sponsored by Figure Magazine, the only fashion magazine dedicated to full figured women. There were about 300 women from all over the country who came on this cruise with their families, spouses, and children. The goal of the cruise was to allow these women to embrace and enjoy their bodies with like minded souls and take the emphasis off of body size or shape and put it on self esteem, healthy attitudes and Inner Style, a program I have created that is all about defining the core characteristics that make you…you!
Sense of humor, resiliency, courage, strength…these attributes are just as important as thin thighs and toned arms. Yet we often forget that in our quest for the fit outside body we have to also make sure we are firming up our insides, too.
One of the highlights of this cruise was a fashion show that the women participated in – about 70 women strutted their stuff in front of an entire ship (about 3000 people!) and all of them – every single one of them looked proud and empowered when they took the stage. The women that participated were all ages and all sizes. In fact, when a bunch of ‘plus size’ girls get together – you are amazed at how NORMAL most of them look. We think sometimes that plus size means huge or gigantic or unimaginably large.
But truly – these women were stunning and average and representative of real women from every state in this country. You forget that living on the coasts like LA and NY that not everyone out there is a super tall, abnormally thin woman (go figure!).
I was amazed and inspired by the women I met. All of them look like gorgeous people you’d come across in your everyday lives. They were mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and best friends and all of them connected through the desire to finally feel at home in the skin they were in. For at least one week out of their lives…mission accomplished!
And ask yourself this: would you have the courage to strut your stuff on a runway in front of 3,000 people??
Comments
And what a cruise it was! Besides learning valuable life skills like putting on makeup, so I don't look like a clown, I learned I can still laugh and laugh loud and long. My thanks to Jim, Tamara, Jess and Morgen for helping to make this cruise such a success.
The cruise was wonderful, and I plan on going on the next one. Have they announced as of yet when it will be?
I would love to hear more about such a cruise. Sounds like fun!
