Bodies. We all have one, yet why is it that some of us love them and others loathe them?
Your physical body has the most important job on the planet… it houses your organs, pumps blood, keeps you alive and allows your soul to play in the world! Without your body, how would you experience the intense joy from laughter or the feel of silky satin caressing your skin?
Yet somehow the majority have lost track of this magic. Instead of focusing on the wonder of the human body and celebrating all that it does, too many are focusing on the physical flaws.
“My stomach is too round.”
“My butt is too small.”
“My forehead has too many wrinkles.”
“My arms are flabby.”
“I look fat.”
The list of insults we say to ourselves goes on and on, and I’m sure there’s a few more you can add! I’ll be the first to say I’m 100% guilty of this as well.
What I’ve learned during my years of styling is that it doesn’t matter what size you are. Whether you’re a 0, a 6, a 12 or a 16, 99% of women and around 50% of men are not happy with their current bodies. I’ve heard it all.
I was recently at an event and had a woman share with me that she holds herself back from being visible because she doesn't feel pretty enough. She feels awkward. I had another share with me that she hasn’t been buying clothes because she’s gained weight the past few years and doesn’t know how to dress this body.
Both of these women brought tears to my eyes. Number one because I understand. I’ve had the exact same thoughts run through my head in the past. And number 2, because they are robbing the world of their greatness! These are phenomenal women with HUGE messages that need to be heard.
What I also know to be true is that before you can step fully into the best version of yourself, you have to love exactly how and who you are right now. Gratitude for who you are today allows you to propel into the next version of yourself.
When you learn to see what is working, what you love about your body, how you look in your clothes, you’ll find that you actually release what’s getting in the way of you having what you truly want. It sounds trippy but trust me. I’ve seen it happen time and time again with my clients. When you stop resisting what’s “not working” you open yourself energetically for the solution.
Let’s stick with the theme of body image. If you are not feeling great about your body right now, you still get to dress in a way that has you feeling good. Maybe your size isn’t where you want it to be. That doesn’t mean you deprive yourself of any new clothes until you get to where you want to be. Instead, celebrate where you are right now, buy an outfit that has you feeling amazing AND focus on the steps you need to take to feel your healthiest.
Releasing that guilt or shame, and allowing the current you to feel good now will elevate your vibe and keep you on track with your health goals. When you hide or don’t put in the effort to look and feel good, it actually slows down the process and keeps you wanting to hide.
Something fascinating to think about is that if you look back in history, women with curves were actually celebrated! It was a symbol of power and money.
I’m not saying one body type is better than another. My point in sharing all of this is that the best body type for you is the one you learn to love and accept. One you learn to adorn in clothing that makes you feel like the best version of you right now, even if you are working on a health or fitness goal. That’s the secret sauce to true style.
Oh and going back to those two women I mentioned who brought tears to my eyes. Good news, they’re both in my hands now as clients about to unleash their confidence and show up authentically in their power (all while doing so stylishly).
What’s one thing you’d put on your body right now if you felt 100% confident in its beauty? Comment below!
xoxo,
Style Specialist & Confidence Catalyst
