This topic is a sensitive one. Especially when you might be using our exact products to change the way your body looks…
You may be doing LJW to change your appearance, but there’s a big difference between wanting to better yourself, in a healthy stainable way, and genuinely hating yourself and your body. And I believe, as a wellness company, we need to address that.
I’ve always struggled with my body image, from a very small age, and unfortunately, I know I’m not the only one.
The first time I had a blow to my confidence was when I got my first bikini. I was probably 7 years old. I thought I looked SO GOOD. It was red and had cute little monkeys on it. While trying it on, I had the confidence to say, “wow, I’m so skinny”, halfway being silly and giggling. It’s sad replaying this in my head, knowing that “skinny” was a crown, something to achieve, something I should be at such a young age. My grandma quickly said, “well honey, you’re really not that skinny.” How quickly those words were internalized and has damaged me ever since.
A different bikini, but this picture on my grandparents boat still sticks out to me. I hated this picture... and I'm literally a child. How sad is that?
I pretty much from then on out labeled myself as bigger. Always comparing myself to other girls in person, and on social media. And there are so many times that I want to change everything about myself. I want better skin, a bigger butt, better teeth, I want to be more stylish and dress up more. I need better makeup, less cellulite, the cutest workout clothes, bigger lips, definitely need some botox in the forehead, oh gosh, they made a new hair serum to make my hair grow, I probably need that. I could go on.
And I know all of us have these stories. We’ve grown up thinking our appearance needs to look a certain way. Rather than prioritizing our body’s health, we place the value on how it looks.
Listen, I’m not perfect. Up until this day, I still go through phases of feeling great in my own skin, and days where I genuinely feel so dissatisfied with myself I could cry.
And I’m not sure if I’ll ever figure it out.
Society right now puts so much value in appearance. And it shouldn’t matter! What someone looks like shouldn’t matter. It has nothing to do with whether someone is kind, talented, wise, caring, creative, or just a just a plain right, wonderful human being.
We all have to learn to love ourself for who we are right now. Not who we’ll be when we lose 10 lbs, or after we’re done going to the aesthetician. I want everyone reading this to know you’re beautiful right now!
Next time you start to feel down I want you to:
Get Off Your Phone
Even if it’s for 24 hours, stop scrolling. Let’s all try to remember that the internet isn’t real. People edit their photos all the time! Not to mention that plastic surgery makes it even harder to know, if you’re comparing yourself to something real. (Not knocking plastic surgery, you do you, queen!) Go hangout with friends, read a book, get your ass outside, make a recipe, or maybe just be bored for a little bit. Value in your looks in real life aren’t as heightened as they are on the internet so get off your phone,
Remember How Small You Are
We are all just small little beings floating on a rock and we’re all going to die. Okay, I know that was morbid, but this little fact eases my anxiety instantly. Spending your time hating yourself is simply a waste of your precious life. You only have one. Don’t you want to spend it loving who you are?
Beauty Standards Shift
Remember when it was cool to have thin eyebrows, and then it shifted to thick eyebrows, and now it’s shifting again to thin eyebrows? 😅 Don’t let trends tell you if you’re beautiful or not.
Remember What Really Matters
I want you to think about someone you care about deeply. Think of all of your friends. Do you care if they’re skinny? Do you care what their hair looks like? Do you care if their nails are done? Do you care if they have cellulite? NO!! Of course you don’t! I guarantee that everyone in your life views you just the same. They love YOU, your personality, your true self. Not your appearance.
Affirmations and Gratitude
This is the holy grail for shifting your perspective. I want you to look in the mirror and list off all the things you love about yourself. I want you to tell yourself things like, “I love my body”, “You’re beautiful”,
Here’s some more affirmations if you don’t know where to start:
"I have a healthy body image"
"I love every part of myself"
"I honor and respect my body for all it does for my every day"
"My worth is not defined by my body's shape or size"
"My body is the least interesting thing about me"
"My body is unique and beautiful and doesn't need to look like anyone else's."
"I am grateful for my body and all it can do for me"
Learning to love yourself just might be the best thing you could do for yourself. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for your daughter, your niece, your sister. Do it so we live in a world where girls put more value in their health, education, and how they treat others.
Thanks for reading!
With love,
Alexis
