ACCEPTING MY REFLECTION

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I’d rather omit the right photo, but the issue is that’s what I look like 95% of the time! That’s normal! We all have rolls when we sit down, and yet, somehow that’s something to hide. 

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It’s taken me a long time to feel comfortable in my skin, and I’m honestly still not always that comfortable. But when you spend the majority of your life staring at your reflection with disgust, you can’t expect to magically see something different. It’s too easy to look at an airbrushed or photoshopped image and believe it represent the majority of individuals. It represents manipulation and lies. It represents no one. 

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My body has been drastically underweight, overweight, and normal during my quest to feel good enough. I learned the hard way that it wasn’t going to come from my size. I was chasing an unattainable, fabricated ideal. Stretch marks, scars, wrinkles, loose skin, acne, cellulite –

IT’S ALL NORMAL

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Self-love and self-acceptance are two very different things. When you dislike yourself, it’s unrealistic to assume you will love yourself instantaneously. Self-acceptance however, is something that leads to self-love. If you can accept that you’re imperfect, the intense feelings of wanting to change yourself begins to lessen. You can stop wasting energy by fighting yourself and begin to move forward. The more you practice self-acceptance, the closer you step toward liking, and even loving who you see in the mirror. 

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It is possible to make peace with your body. And if that feels futile to you right now, that’s okay too. But one day, I hope you do catch sight of your reflection and stare back with approval.