Saying bye to chafing & a swanky sports bra

Have you ever experienced such uncomfortable chafing that you’ve questioned working out? 

I was shedding my shirt after a workout yesterday and looking at my colorful sports bra, I smiled and felt grateful. Thanks to this upgraded sports bra, I wasn’t chafing when working out. 

Almost a year ago, I tossed a swanky sports bra that I had gotten fitted at Nordstrom that was causing perpetual chafing. The chafing was so bad, that body glide wasn’t sufficient. 

Placing a bandaid on the spot where the underwire was cursedly stabbing into my sternum, usually helped to avoid the rubbing, but wasn’t a full proof solution. 

All to say, I decided that perhaps the issue wasn’t my body. Nope, the problem was the equipment. The problem was the thing touching my skin. Sticking it up because it was some fancy, fitted sports bra wasn't a reason to keep wearing it. 

And I knew I deserved better. 

I was about to embark on a 4 day hike through the mountains of Colombia and I wasn’t hiking in great discomfort. Last year over Black Friday sales, I purchased 3 new sports bras and when they arrived at my doorstep, I immediately felt a shift in my workout. 

I wasn’t chafing. Plus the fun colors and design had me smiling when I put them on. 

I believe deeply in empowering myself and you, dear spoker, and our world. And yet, sometimes the most empowering things I can do and we can do, might not seem earth-shattering in magnitude, but are profoundly powerful. 

Like honoring my breasts and my body. Because the things that touch my skin, that literally support me should mirror the support I invite in other areas of my life. 

I had to choose to not listen to the “should.” This bra should be comfortable because it was fitted for me by a professional bra fitter at Nordstrom. 

And instead I had to get clear on my experience and the data that I had from my experience. This bra is causing me to chafe because the underwire is applying great pressure on my sternum. I'm feeling consistent rubbing there, which makes exercise painful. 

In a world where as women and non-binary folks our bodily autonomy is being: taken from us, is being questioned, is being violated, choosing to prioritize and to listen to our experience is a radical act of self care. 

This missive isn’t supposed to be one grand invitation into indulging in Black Friday deals in the coming days, but what I do hope you ask yourself is:

• What are the ‘shoulds’ of my life that are perhaps dictating how I should treat myself and my body?

• How can I resist these shoulds?

• In what ways can I better listen to my body and my soul and support myself with tenderness?

• What are the supports that touch me most closely, both physically and metaphorically, and do they reflect the support I call in in other areas of my life? 

Perhaps there is one way this week to say no to something that causes your body and soul to chafe and instead choose tenderness, comfort or whatever quality would align you lovingly with your body. 

Wheels up,

Ellen

PS- This Friday it’s a great time to #OptOutside and get outside and go ride a bike!