Because it is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week right as I type this, I guess the subject of health at every size, beauty in all shapes and sizes, and body acceptance and respect is just really on my mind.

Whether we suffer from an eating disorder or disordered eating, have social anxiety that is body-related, or simply feel hampered or hindered in any area of our life due to a lack of comfort with how we are made, the simple fact is that body image issues plague nearly 100 percent of us.

Work what you’ve got – and in time you may begin to LOVE what you’ve got!

I was talking with a friend today about a cool conversation she had with a health care professional who wanted her to come in and talk to their weight loss support group about healthy eating. She told this professional, “I am not going to address healthy eating. I am going to address healthy relationships.”

She shared that she said this because it is about the food – in the sense that we all need to ingest a certain amount of nutrients in order to survive – but then again it isn’t about the food at all – because food is just food, and it is designed to nourish, nothing less nor more than this.

It isn’t a surrogate partner. It isn’t a friend to lean on. It also isn’t an enemy that is out to get us. It is just food.

One great way to be mentored, and to mentor others, is to get involved in meaningful opportunities to raise awareness of issues you or someone you love has been impacted by.

This month, we recognize National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2012, which is taking place from February 26 – March 3.

Dubbed “NEDAwareness Week” by the sponsoring organization, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), this year’s theme is “Everybody Knows Somebody”.

Through my own work with MentorCONNECT, the non-profit eating disorders mentoring community I run, I happen to know several thousand somebodies whose lives are affected by eating disorders, but whether you know one (you) or many, there is a way for you to take part in this important awareness-building and fundraising effort.

The NEDA website lists all kinds of activities and events that are taking place in recognition of NEDAwareness Week.

MentorCONNECT, in the spirit of the online-based community that we are, is also hosting a “Virtual Walk”, where instead of joining a walk (think sneakers, water bottle, t-shirt) to raise awareness in your city, you can “walk” (think Facebook, Twitter, email, blog posts) wherever you are – even if you are currently orbiting the moon!

Mentoring is a gift that gives in equal measure to both giver and receiver. By giving in small ways, each and every day, we give so much….and receive even more.

This is why I love the message of this year’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week – that we can each do “just one thing” to raise awareness of eating disorders.

This message recognizes that we have busy lives. It recognizes that we may already be doing many other things in other ways. It understands that we come from varying means, varying stages of recovery, varying degrees of help.

This message reminds us that our “one things” really do count.

It also encourages us that, for one special week each year, we can stretch just a little bit further and do just one MORE little thing that can have a huge impact in the lives of others who struggle with eating disorders.

This message hits home with a particular importance for me today, because today marks the start of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2011. And this week, the nonprofit I run, MentorCONNECT, has decided that our “just one thing” is to partner with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) to launch the first-ever “Virtual Walk” for eating disorders awareness.