I was listening to a “gossip” podcast on my morning walk with the dog this morning (note: I also listen to other podcast, like “intellectual ones” currently many about the US election).

Anyhow, both the topic discussed and the way the host talked about things got me thinking. How utterly blessed I am. And I’m saying widely and proudly.

It’s often said that you can’t be successful in Sweden, that the law of Jante then strikes. I couldn’t disagree more. It’s an ignorant interpretation of Jante. Jante doesn’t oppose to success, it’s how you conduct yourself around it. And here the “typical” Swedish humbleness strikes hard and unforgivning. You are allowed to be proud of your success, but don’t push it down peoples throats. Buy your self a Ferrari, just don’t run the engine outside your neighbours at any hour of the day. Sell your products to teens, earn millions and become their biggest fan, but don’t promote your eating disorder to them, making them believe you must only eat lettuce to become as successful as you are.

It was this eating disorder part of the podcast that got me thinking. I’m a woman, so naturally I have been affected by the way society and media has talked about the female body (and they do – constantly). If I claimed that I stood above all this BS and it hasn’t affected me, I would be lying. I have judge my body, I have complained about it and tried to alter it with exercise and different brands of body stockings (I honestly can find the English word for it, but you know the Spanx type). BUT what I have never done is altered or messed with my food. Thankfully, I have just eaten the things I like. For sure a little too much (in my mind “all that” exercise requires a lot of food). I’ve never ever been on a diet, never ever drunk powder meals, never ever felt bad about what I have put into my body. I love food (hate cooking though) and food has been a neutral for me. Can it be my farm upbringing? Where food was nothing more or nothing less then something needed to be able to pursue life.

So food has never been something that steered my thoughts (unless when a blood sugar has hit a low) and in general my thoughts and mind is quite free from clutter and self doubt, at least it’s so little that I would describe my mental health to be quite… healthy. And that my friends, is a blessing and a catch 22 which is sad and requires a post of it’s own.