Beauty Is Only Defined By You! 

How do we know what beauty is, & who says so? The answers to those questions are infinite, but for whatever reason, we fall into thinking beauty is only what society says. Depending on the region you’re in, beauty can be perceived as completely different than in a region thousands of miles away. A European standard of beauty is different from Asian, African, Hispanic, or American standards. Regardless though, no single group is correct. Everyone is right!

     Society’s standard of beauty can crush a person’s body image quickly & easily. We see the “perfect” pictures put on social by influencers & think we need to switch our images up to fit into that box. Thoughts run through our minds about wanting that hairstyle, outfit, or body part…neglecting the fact that the picture could be filtered. There’s no such thing as perfect, & we’ll never be perfect, but those negative thoughts can lead down a dark road on a quest to unachievable perfection!

     Body image issues can lead to a body image disorder. Body image disorders are diagnoses with distorted views of themselves that result in extreme behaviors to try to correct those views. These include eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge-Eating Disorder, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, & Body Dysmorphia. Each of these impacts how a person sees themselves &, as a result, impacts their actions to achieve the perfect body. Behaviors such as excessive dieting & exercise, binging & purging, & eating very little or only certain foods are all characteristics of these disorders. If they aren’t managed, they can lead to permanent organ damage & even death. 

     Although I haven’t had an eating disorder, it’s been easy in the past for me to base my body image on what others thought. I’ve always been skinny due to genetics, but the comments people made didn’t help me embrace society’s warped image that skinny equals beauty. I was teased so much about having skinny legs that I didn’t wear shorts outside of my house for over a decade. It took a few people who were close to me to boost my head so I could feel comfortable enough to wear them again. 

     And let’s not get started on the fact that skinny definitely doesn’t equal healthy! I may be smaller than all of my sisters, but they’re healthier than I am. There’s nothing fun about being pre-diabetic, especially when you love bread & sweets! The struggle is REAL trying to manage eating them in moderation! Looking fine on the outside doesn’t mean the inside is all shined up or that you feel your best.

     It’s impossible to ever achieve society’s ideal body image. Not only is it constantly changing, but it’s a mirage. As much as people say Kim K has the ideal body, how often have we seen her change? I’ve seen the “it factor” go from big breasts to big butts in the past 2 decades alone! People are risking their health & finances to have “the look,” & many are still not satisfied after changing. None of it is worth it. We all are unique, & that’s beautiful in itself. How boring would the world be if we all looked the same?

     We have to do whatever we can to boost the confidence, body image, & morale of those around us. There’s too much negativity in the world, so why not defeat some of the darkness?! Start with yourself: take the Body Image Quiz below to see how you view yourself. See how accurate your body image is. Then, check these resources for body image issues out, & let’s pledge to put more good into the world! That’s what we were put here to do anyway. 

Body Image Quiz

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