Dear Readers,
I have really deliberated about how I would structure this post to you all, so I could ensure to empower and uplift as many of you as possible.
I arrived back home yesterday from my trip to Cyprus (which was, by the way, the perfect time to unwind) and during my flight home I was planning what content I wanted to create using these images.
First and foremost, I hope to bring together people of all shapes and sizes. This isn't a post about encouraging people to lose weight or exercise or change their eating habits. I want to solely talk openly about how it is ok to be confident in your own body and love yourself. This applies to guys as much as it does to girls.
Body confidence is a BIG deal and it is something which is constantly put under the microscope by Instagram feeds and influencers. Now I am not talking about body confidence being a big deal because there is an unspoken rule that all people need to conform to a particular standard. But more about it being necessary to our happiness to get to a point where we look at ourselves and just feel good.
During our final full day in Cyprus, we woke up early and drove the short distance from Anarita to Aphrodite's Rock. I knew I wanted to take some pictures with the famous rock behind me, so I got my camera out and with the help of my Mum, took some fun snaps.
I
have definitely not reached a definitive goal, but I used this trip to look back at what I have managed to achieve physically and
psychologically. I don't really believe in setting a final goal,
because I believe there is always room to improve and smash those
targets. It is just as important however to accept where you are and give yourself the praise you deserve.
It may not even be that you've chosen to get 'fit' or change your body in any way. Perhaps you have reached a point where you can embrace those things you once disliked about yourself and turn them into things which make you who you are.
I arrived back home yesterday from my trip to Cyprus (which was, by the way, the perfect time to unwind) and during my flight home I was planning what content I wanted to create using these images.
I
could have kept it real simple and harped on about how amazing Primark
swimwear is. It is amazing don't get me wrong, but I felt as though I
wanted to say more with these photo's than just where to get your
holiday clothes from.
First and foremost, I hope to bring together people of all shapes and sizes. This isn't a post about encouraging people to lose weight or exercise or change their eating habits. I want to solely talk openly about how it is ok to be confident in your own body and love yourself. This applies to guys as much as it does to girls.
Body confidence is a BIG deal and it is something which is constantly put under the microscope by Instagram feeds and influencers. Now I am not talking about body confidence being a big deal because there is an unspoken rule that all people need to conform to a particular standard. But more about it being necessary to our happiness to get to a point where we look at ourselves and just feel good.
During our final full day in Cyprus, we woke up early and drove the short distance from Anarita to Aphrodite's Rock. I knew I wanted to take some pictures with the famous rock behind me, so I got my camera out and with the help of my Mum, took some fun snaps.
I
got a lot of funny looks, even though the majority of the beach below
were snapping away and getting their shots in. Why could I not shoot
some bikini-clad photo's with a bit of sass? I have spent countless hours exercising and squatting my little booty away, I wanted to have my moment in the sun, feeling good about life.
It
got me thinking about my body image and how much had changed since my
last visit to this location. I would never have had the confidence back then to
stand there and get photo's in a swimsuit. I never felt as though my body was worthy.
Quite frankly I hated a lot of things about my body, maybe things that other people didn't notice, but they were things I over-analysed and stressed about. It's funny because one of the things I was most self-concious of was my lack of a bum. Not sure I can argue that one anymore. And before you think 'How cocky of her to think she has a nice bum'; I'm not suggesting it's the greatest you have ever seen. I want to use it as an example to illustrate how I was able to resolve something I didn't feel comfortable with. I wish I still had bikini photo's from my first trip so I could give you some sort of comparison, but as I never posted them anywhere, there was no way I would have saved them. Sorry guys, I wanted to look back and laugh too (it's important not to take your past self too seriously).
Quite frankly I hated a lot of things about my body, maybe things that other people didn't notice, but they were things I over-analysed and stressed about. It's funny because one of the things I was most self-concious of was my lack of a bum. Not sure I can argue that one anymore. And before you think 'How cocky of her to think she has a nice bum'; I'm not suggesting it's the greatest you have ever seen. I want to use it as an example to illustrate how I was able to resolve something I didn't feel comfortable with. I wish I still had bikini photo's from my first trip so I could give you some sort of comparison, but as I never posted them anywhere, there was no way I would have saved them. Sorry guys, I wanted to look back and laugh too (it's important not to take your past self too seriously).
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
Fast-forward
to this trip and I feel as though I am really getting there. I feel
good about myself and I wanted to shout it from that bloody cliff-side.
It may not even be that you've chosen to get 'fit' or change your body in any way. Perhaps you have reached a point where you can embrace those things you once disliked about yourself and turn them into things which make you who you are.
 | |
Palm Springs Swimsuit, £4 | Primark Sunglasses, £3 | Primark
|
No matter where you are on your journey, whether you are still finding a you that you are most comfortable with, or you are at a place of an abundance of confidence, never let anyone tell you what it takes to be truly happy.
There is no rule book which dictates who can be confident and who cannot. We all deserve to be happy no matter what stereotypes are thrown our way.
So post that risque Insta pic, or wear that dress you thought only size 10 girls could wear, because you are guaranteed to have people cheering you on every step of the way. If not (which I think is most unlikely), just drop me a message and I'll be there for you.
Stay Sweet & Stay Confident,
Alice xx
Such an inspirational post. So many of us have hangups about our bodies, usually because of some negative remark from someone in our younger days, before we have built our confidence._ Vikki.
ReplyDeleteAlice you have hit the nail on the head with this post! If only you had written it twenty years ago, for me!xx
ReplyDeleteYou are such a confident girl that no one would think you had body confidence issues. You are gorgeous and a role model for me!!!! JB
ReplyDelete