<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>looking different Archives - Tonda Solomon</title>
	<atom:link href="https://tondasolomon.com/tag/looking-different/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://tondasolomon.com/tag/looking-different/</link>
	<description>Official Site</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 28 Jan 2020 18:24:07 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2</generator>

<image>
	<url>https://tondasolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cropped-Tonda_Site_Icon_Green-32x32.png</url>
	<title>looking different Archives - Tonda Solomon</title>
	<link>https://tondasolomon.com/tag/looking-different/</link>
	<width>32</width>
	<height>32</height>
</image> 
	<item>
		<title>Who&#8217;s too Big</title>
		<link>https://tondasolomon.com/blog-post-one/</link>
					<comments>https://tondasolomon.com/blog-post-one/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Dec 2019 22:34:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Tonda Talk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Truth in the Word]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[changing physically]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chubby kid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clumsy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[elementary school]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[growing up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high school]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life cycles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[looking different]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[suppressing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tonda Solomon]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://tondasolomon.com/?p=219</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>I can’t quite pinpoint when in elementary school I became aware I wasn’t like the other girls. But once I did the differences seemed insurmountable. Taller. Chubbier. A big ol’ clumsy mess that didn’t entirely fit the mold. BIG being the operative word. Don’t ask me where the mold came from. Through the years I [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://tondasolomon.com/blog-post-one/">Who&#8217;s too Big</a> appeared first on <a href="https://tondasolomon.com">Tonda Solomon</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>I can’t quite pinpoint <em>when</em> in elementary school I became aware I wasn’t like the other girls. But once I did the differences seemed insurmountable. Taller. Chubbier. A big ol’ clumsy mess that didn’t entirely fit the mold. BIG being the operative word. Don’t ask me where the mold came from.</p>



<p>	Through the years I struggled with trying to suppress myself. To be shorter. To appear smaller. To downplay my awkwardness. My internal message was often <em>you are too much, pipe down!</em> At times it worked, but “<em>big Tonda”</em> never fully stopped pushing her way forward.</p>



<p>	In high school I realized everyone had changed physically. Most girls had surpassed me in height as my chubbiness gave way to curves. But the damage was done. It didn’t seem to matter. I would always feel BIGGER THAN in every aspect of me, and for some reason that equated to WRONG.&nbsp;</p>



<p>	Finally, through the organic mutation of life cycles I arrived at a revelation. My nest was emptying. My mothering was molting. And suddenly I knew that the BIG areas of me were for a grander purpose that made them <em>fit</em>. Instead of awkwardly fidgeting in my skin I began to let loose some seams and feel at home. I had made being Tonda way more difficult than it should have been. I had adopted the wrong standard.</p>



<p>	God is infinitely BIG and He created us in His image. When He is our standard, we are BIG in the best possible ways &#8211; as He needs us to be. His intentional craftsmanship. That is so freeing.</p>



<p> Resist your attempts to minimize who you are. God created you to be BIG in specific areas so He can use it. Let that peace rule. Be kind. Love well.</p>
<span class="et_bloom_bottom_trigger"></span><p>The post <a href="https://tondasolomon.com/blog-post-one/">Who&#8217;s too Big</a> appeared first on <a href="https://tondasolomon.com">Tonda Solomon</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://tondasolomon.com/blog-post-one/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
