"I wish I had a flatter stomach. I wish my hair was blonde. My thighs are too fat. My butt is too small." We have all said something similar to these phrases. We have been a part of a society that teaches being skinny is everything. It's been thrown out there in magazines, diet plans, social media, and television. Most people aren't even happy with their bodies anymore because we have been raised to believe that if we aren't skinny, then we aren't beautiful. I have learned that this is so far from the truth.
First of all, skinny doesn't equal beautiful. No one ever looked you in the eyes and said, "If you aren't skinny, then you are worthless and ugly." There aren't any laws in society that attribute your size to your worth. Whether we are big, small, or in between, we are all beautiful. Happiness shows beauty. When we smile and feel happy, we are beautiful. Confident and happy people are the most beautiful because they don't spend their whole lives trying to be someone they are not. Chasing your "dream body" your whole life will only put you in a dark place. Accepting who you are now will make you more happy and healthy.
When I hospitalized earlier this year for OCD, I did so much work with how I view my body. I used to hate myself and tell myself, "I'm not skinny and I'm worthless. I should just die." I spent a long time trying to lose weight and trying to change my body. When I arrived at Rogers Memorial Hospital, I did many exposures that involved looking at pictures of my body, showing pictures of my body parts to staff members, and looking at my body in the mirror. I began to realize that the idea that skinny equaled beautiful was so distorted. I finally realized that I am beautiful just the way I am and there is no need to lose weight. I spent so many years hating my body and I'm thankful that I was finally able to discover my worth.
The next time you look in the mirror try and focus on what you love about your body instead of what you hate. Tell yourself, "I am beautiful." Love yourself because this is the only life you will ever have. You will never get another body. Spend your life loving yourself because there is no reason to hate your body when all it will do is harm your self-esteem. You are the only one that can make yourself feel truly beautiful. Don't spend your life in the dark. Stand up to self body shaming and remember that happy equals beautiful!
First of all, skinny doesn't equal beautiful. No one ever looked you in the eyes and said, "If you aren't skinny, then you are worthless and ugly." There aren't any laws in society that attribute your size to your worth. Whether we are big, small, or in between, we are all beautiful. Happiness shows beauty. When we smile and feel happy, we are beautiful. Confident and happy people are the most beautiful because they don't spend their whole lives trying to be someone they are not. Chasing your "dream body" your whole life will only put you in a dark place. Accepting who you are now will make you more happy and healthy.
When I hospitalized earlier this year for OCD, I did so much work with how I view my body. I used to hate myself and tell myself, "I'm not skinny and I'm worthless. I should just die." I spent a long time trying to lose weight and trying to change my body. When I arrived at Rogers Memorial Hospital, I did many exposures that involved looking at pictures of my body, showing pictures of my body parts to staff members, and looking at my body in the mirror. I began to realize that the idea that skinny equaled beautiful was so distorted. I finally realized that I am beautiful just the way I am and there is no need to lose weight. I spent so many years hating my body and I'm thankful that I was finally able to discover my worth.
The next time you look in the mirror try and focus on what you love about your body instead of what you hate. Tell yourself, "I am beautiful." Love yourself because this is the only life you will ever have. You will never get another body. Spend your life loving yourself because there is no reason to hate your body when all it will do is harm your self-esteem. You are the only one that can make yourself feel truly beautiful. Don't spend your life in the dark. Stand up to self body shaming and remember that happy equals beautiful!