A Facebook friend posted this image today. At first, I just scrolled past the post, but the dress silhouette caught my eye. It reminded me of the dress logo the American Heart Association uses to promote heart health for women so I went back.

I don’t know a single woman who could read this quote from Kate Winslet and not agree. I remember my mom drinking slim fast. My sister is always writing on Facebook about working out and losing weight. I even hear my grandma – at 74 years old – talk about feeling overweight. And my beautiful, athletic 12-year-old niece has opened up to me about how she “isn’t skinny.” Twelve. Years. Old.

I’m no different.

I just have one question for all of us women: What the hell is wrong with us?

Let’s set aside the cliche excuses where we blame pop culture, our parents or some previous relationship that ended badly.

We choose to focus on our “faults.” We choose to look at images of waif models and think the world demands that of us. We repeat the mistakes of our parents instead of learning from them, and we let some jerk damage our view of ourselves.

We are bullshit.

I weigh one tiny pound more than the day I found out I was pregnant, but if you asked me, I’d act like it’s the end of the world. I’m so fat. I don’t fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes. I have stretch marks on my hips, thighs, stomach and chest. Wah. Wah. Wah.

I’m tired of listening to myself. I’m sure people around me are tired of listening to my, too. And to those people, I am so sorry.

One seemingly insignificant image and quote from Kate Winslet opened my eyes today.

I have never heard the women around me speak proudly about their bodies or say that they are happy with their appearance.

I refuse to do that to my daughter.

Starting now – after I finish this wine and plate of cookies – I’m going to focus on what I like about my physical appearance, as well as my intellect and just plain awesome personality.

I’ll be writing a post soon about how I love my body. In the mean time, what do you love about yours?

Think about it. … And tell the women in your lives.