Self-Image

Hello beautiful people,

Self-image has always been a very important topic to me. It's something that I'm super passionate about because I know the impact it can have on young girls.

From a young age, girls are taught that skinny is better. "You want to look like a Disney princess" is what is planted into their minds and it sticks. Girls are constantly surrounded by images of skinny- Disney Princesses and Barbie Dolls. Whether or not parents are aware of it, they implement healthier meals to make sure their kids are smaller. I know it's a combination of being skinny and just being healthier in general. But because of society's standards, there tends to be more emphasis on being skinny.

It becomes particularly hard for teenagers to be happy with their bodies because they are experiencing many changes amongst a crowd of other girls. It's easy to be jealous of those who seem to have it better because you are so insecure. Trust me, I've been there. There is always going to be someone skinner than you, someone smarter than you and someone "prettier" than you. I feel like it's necessary to put quotes around the word pretty because I truly believe everyone is beautiful in their own way, therefore there is no need to constantly compare yourself to other people. Pop culture doesn't help young girls' self esteem because they only use women that meet society's expectations. So what kind of message does that send to young girls? It's extremely hard for girls to look at models like Cara Delevigne and still think that they, themselves are perfect. Celebrities are now trying to break these expectations, but I think it's a hard barrier to break and one that takes a while.

For me, I have been constantly and still am battling with my self-image and trying to be happy the way I am. I know it's harder said than done. I've been struggling with confidence since I hit puberty which was in the fifth grade. I was just never good enough. I wasn't a good dancer. I wasn't pretty. I wasn't skinny. But looking back at old pictures, I was skinny enough and I regret not being confident because I'm struggling more than ever now.

The past year has been really hard especially with my weight. Not dancing for three years is definitely catching up to me. It wasn't until 2015 that I realized I was trying to lose weight for all of the wrong reasons. I wanted to lose weight so I would be socially accepted. Do you realize how terrible that is! I would do anything- from just not eating at all to trying to make myself throw up after every meal. Ya, it got that bad. I hated being around my friends because they're model skinny and unbelievably pretty. It wasn't until this year that I realized if I want to be confident enough to go out and to just be confident in my own skin- I needed to lose weight for myself and only myself.

So when it came to New Years, I made a strict goal and very realistic New Years Resolutions. 2015 is my year without any sugar and for me that's a big deal because I have the biggest sweet tooth. In order to accomplish this, I have set little rewards for myself throughout the year that I can look forward to such as; a new pair of jeans, new shoes etc. If I am successful then at the end of the year I am rewarding myself with a iPhone 6. Now to be clear, my no-sugar diet is only cutting out the bad sugars like candy, pop and chocolate.
On top of that; I'm watching my language- trying to cut out the use of the 'F' word and trying to be more of a positive and happier person. To be successful in that, I think it's important to find that switch in your brain to allow you to think differently.

It's important for young girls to know that it's okay if you're not happy with yourself and want to change your body for YOURSELF. But it's not okay to change your body because society is telling you to.

I have some tips that have helped me keep my head on straight and motivated to reach my goals that I hope helps you all:

1. Set realistic goals for yourself
2. Surround yourself with people who are optimistic and are extremely supportive
3. Remember you are beautiful and you don't need to compare yourselves to others 
4. Find some alone time and think about your journey and what you want to accomplish
5. Don't forget to reward yourself

Obviously, I still have a long journey to go and it's not going to be an easy one. I hope that in the future, girls won't be so pressured to conform to what society wants. As more young women realize what I'm starting to realize, I believe that these expectations can be demolished.

I apologize for the lengthy post, but I am so passionate about this and I hope everyone enjoyed this. 

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful day/night!

Hugs and Butterfly Kisses

xx

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