It’s not often that I get to combine any part of my work with MRKH. But I was inspired by an exercise I recently did which considers our bodies as rooted trees. All the way from our feet to our head and through our mind.

So with that in mind I thought I would incorporate one of my favourite satellite images into the blog as it has always reminded me of a tree.

Each part of our bodies tell a story. They show a connection between us to memories, experiences and emotions.

I am not body unconfident as such yet like most of us there are parts I don’t like. When I think about my body as a whole I automatically think of the negatives but when I write down those instant reactions to different parts of my body, from my toes to the top of my head, a lot of them are positive.

My feet are my foundations. They are grounded. They connect me with others. Foundations make me think of family and friends. But they are ugly as hell and covered in dry skin. They remind me of constantly tripping over my feet as a kid (and also as an adult). Yet without them I wouldn’t be able to run, to walk and do all these other crazy challenges I set myself in the way I enjoy now.

My legs are strong, providing support. But they are not flexible (those days are well and truly gone). My knees are covered in scars the most recent of which happened by tripping over the same tree root, whilst running, a few months apart.

My hips are wide. I don’t like them but also provide shape that I like to embrace, sometimes.

My core makes me uncomfortable at times. I think of what having MRKH means, I sometimes might give myself a break on a cheat day then feel bad about it the next day yet at the same time thinking how strong my core is becoming and how life is too short not to enjoy it!

My upper body, shoulders and arms show terrible posture and lack strength in some aspects yet have strength in other ways. I can’t do a proper push up but who cares, I can hug.

My face shows openness with wide eyes and a dimpled smile yet has in the past hidden true feelings through a worry of giving something away. It can look weary but it is also expressive.

My mind is content…mainly (I mean come on we all have bad days). But in general its strong but frayed at times. Its passionate, ambitious with a jumble of fears and wonderful memories. It’s grown strong.

My body has its flaws perceived or otherwise but I am not defined by anything. Nothing and no one has the right to make me feel bad about myself. My MRKH Is part of me but it doesn’t bully me. It doesn’t need to be loud it doesn’t need to be in my face but I know it’s there. It doesn’t always need my attention, it doesn’t help either of us.

By embracing it I can be stronger, learning from my experiences to be more positive and bring more positivity to others. It doesn’t have the same bearing as it did, I don’t feel embarrassed by it. I have become accepting of it, familiar with it, to a point of comfort. That’s where I want it to say.

There is always room for growth. At whatever age.

If I was an actual tree I think I would be a Horse Chestnut, I have always liked conkers ?

Charlie xx