BODY POSITIVE SHOOT
“I am Enough!”
Wow, how empowering is that statement. It feels good to say that to yourself, but sometimes it’s hard to really feel that way. From my own experience, I went from 118 pounds in high school super active to with my first baby I gained a ton of weight. I was very thankful that I was able to bounce back from that pregnancy. However, with my second pregnancy it definitely hasn’t been the same way. I started to lose a little bit at first, but the weight came back and has stayed on. As easy as it would be to work out and live a healthy lifestyle that gets hard with motherhood, working, and just everyday life. I have learned to be okay that this is where I am at. I have had two kids and even if I am bigger that I use to be; I am still beautiful. It’s been a long and ongoing journey learning to love myself. I think that is very hard when in a world like today you feel as if you are suppose to be a certain way and that’s not true at all! Everyone comes in all shapes and sizes whether you are tall, short, skinny, thicker, etc. It is so important to normalize bodies in today’s society. It is OKAY to have stretch marks, cellulite, extra skin, and more.. because that is just the human body. There was something I read today from Sarah Laundry (@thebirdspapaya) and it went something like.. whether you eat healthy and go to the gym every single day; you still might not get the job, or the man, or the validation that your looking for. OR if you gain weight, don’t exercise, and choose to eat cake and mash potatoes that you still might not get the job, the man, or the validation you are looking for. She stated, “Your confidence, self worth, competency, or ability to love are NOT determined by your size, weight, or if you eat mash potatoes.” In conclusion you are not defined by those things AT ALL. You are perfect the way you are. You do NOT need to gain weight and you do NOT need to lose weight if you don’t want to. We are all unique, just remember that and all sizes are ENOUGH!
That brings me to my sign choice. I chose, “Be your own reason to smile!”
I feel like that statement is so important because it is so easy to go searching for things to make you happy and to make you smile. But in reality you are the only person who can make yourself truly happy. You have to be happy with YOU before you can be happy with anyone else. I struggled for awhile with trying to find other things to make happy whether that be shopping or even food, but those things never seem to truly work in the end. Lately, I have learned to put myself out there more and just be me. Not only be myself but to be more vulnerable with sharing myself and my struggles. It’s amazing how being comfortable in my own body and skin is such a breath of fresh air. It is also so relieving that I have found other people that struggle with these things just like I do. So here’s to continuing to share my journey & being my own reason to smile 💕
Thank you again to @joiningtheherd for letting me be apart of this amazing photo shoot.
Photo Creds: Morgan Taylor Photography
