I have, more times than I can count, and it makes me sad. I think a lot of us are insecure about our bodies in our early adulthood. It almost seems natural to be insecure, doesn’t it? Growing up we are bombarded with images of ‘beauty’, our role-models look a certain way and it’s very hard to break out of that box when there are few people telling us differently.
Commercials don’t tell us that our bodies are fine the way they are. They tell us to join this gym or program, take this supplement or that pill, use this make-up to be beautiful, use this cream to look younger. I wish there were more visible resources that said
“Celebrate your body just the way it is. You are perfect just as you are.”
Your body is not something to apologize for, ever. I’ve apologized because my legs aren’t shaved, because I have stretch marks, because I am fat and thus ‘ugly’, because my breasts aren’t perky, because my hair isn’t done, because there’s stray hair on my face and my eyebrows aren’t plucked and my teeth aren’t white enough.
I apologize because my body isn’t perfect and because it’s not perfect it can’t be beautiful.
Right?
No.
No.
No. First off, this whole idea of perfection is created by the people that want to sell you something. There’s nothing to gain (except self-acceptance, body love, empowered women) by telling us that our bodies are fine. Where’s the profit in that? They make money by making us believe that what we are is not good enough.
Our bodies are good enough.
So don’t apologize for the way that you were made. Don’t apologize for the way that you are. Don’t apologize for your body, amazing creation that it is. I’ve stopped making apologies and I’ve felt the changes in myself and in my life. Once you flip that switch in your brain that tells you to stop apologizing and start embracing – life gets pretty fabulous.
Those are wonderful affirmations! I subscribed to your 6 free journal prompts and am loving them!!
This blog post really hit home for me. When I'm in the company of boys, I frequently find myself apologizing for my appearance and size. I need to end this! I am fine just the way I am :)
Hits home, in a poignant way. Just got photographed for a newspaper article — I reached out to tell my story with my Affordable Care Act insurance and lack of coverage. I couldn't look at the pictures that were taken without wishing I looked younger and thinner. That programming is deep!
Yes you are fine just the way you are! More than fine even <3
You're welcome! xoxo
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The timing on this article could not have been more perfect for me. Lately, I've been getting more and more self-conscious, partially because I have a very thin and very attractive boyfriend and feel like, because of the way I look, I don't deserve him. I've never liked my body, but just in the last 6 months or so I've found myself changing outfits repeatedly, obsessing over my hair and make-up, and sometimes just deciding not to go out at all because I can't 'hide' how fat I am. When I realized the other day that I was thinking this way, I honestly laughed at myself. I can't 'hide' my size. I can't 'hide' my body. What I can do is start accepting how it looks and being confident.
My boyfriend loves me and finds me attractive, so who cares if someone sees us together and thinks he could do better? He told me I was the perfect woman for him, and that matters more than if we look 'right' together.
I'm not at the point yet where I like how I look, but I'm working on it, and these posts definitely help. So, again, thank you. :)
Right on!