I had my daughter over a year ago, and the baby weight is still hanging around. I’m not surprised since I haven’t done anything to get rid of it. I’ve been a little busy, ya know, RAISING A CHILD. It’s tough being a mom. Everything has changed. My daughter is learning everyday – and so am I. One of the hardest things I am learning about myself and I’m sure you can relate is learning how to love the new me. Maybe my example can help you learn to love your body too.
The gym was never that high on my priority list, but I think it fell completely off the list when my daughter was born. Real talk: I’ve always struggled with body image but having a baby takes that to a whole new level. My body looks completely different, parts have moved and shifted – and I am just not completely used to my new body.
But here’s the thing. I have a daughter now.
She’s only one, but she’s watching me, and I want more than anything to raise a daughter who loves her body no matter what size she is.
I know for a fact that she will see me hating my body and grow up to hate hers. So I have to stop—like immediately.
It’s easier said than done. But I’ve been trying a few things to chip away at my body image troubles.
Have you heard of The 4th Trimester Bodies Project? Yep! I posed in my undies with my daughter who was about 6 months at the time. I thought that would be a bold enough act to erase the insecurities I’ve been dealing with my whole life. Turns out, it wasn’t that easy. I still wasn’t happy about what I saw when I looked in the mirror.
I found a documentary called Embrace. Watched it; loved it. It’s not a lot – and they are baby steps – but big baby steps. They are MY baby steps.
Like I said, I’m trying real hard over here to love the skin I’m in.
I think each experience brings me closer to acceptance. I felt like I was getting closer.
Recently I was reminded about a talk from one of my favorite photographers, Sue Bryce. She sometimes gets all fired up when she’s speaking, and this was one of those times. She was pretty much yelling at the screen and said,
“Aren’t you done?! Aren’t you just done not being good enough?! When are you gonna wake up and just stop being not good enough? JUST STOP IT! STOP! You know, if you want to learn how to love your body, STOP HATING IT!”
It felt like she was yelling at me.
It seems so simple. Just stop.
I think we all make it so complicated when really, all we have to do is stop.
Seriously. Just stop.
