Being Body Positive
I’d argue that once in a person’s life they are going to feel down, and maybe annoyed with their body. I will certainly put my hand up to it. However, recently, I’ve begun to follow body positive accounts on Instagram and they’ve changed my outlook.
I’ve gone through my teenage years believing that I am a lot larger than my peers when in reality I’m not, I’m equal with them. I’ve constantly been conscious, I’ve dieted, exercised and stressed about my appearance, my weight. I wish I hadn’t. Although, it’s been a learning curve.
Many feel the same way. I’ve sat in the common room, listening to my friends complain about their weight. To me, they look perfect. I’ve recently learned to be more accepting of myself, and I wish others would too.
According to the telegraph, one in ten girls are ‘extremely worried about their weight.’ Reading the article really opened my eyes to the way the world works and the way teenagers behave. Growing up, I’ve always been interested in watching documentaries about food and the way we react to it, how we all obsess about it and our image.
For those of you who are unaware or unsure of what body positive accounts post, I shall explain. Being body positive is about accepting your body as it is whilst also attempting to make everyone else feel comfortable in their own skin. I admire people who post these pictures because quite frankly, they are inspiring.
However, what has annoyed me the most is the hate. Many people have expressed their awful opinions on these pictures and accounts. They have called girls horrible things and accused them of begging for attention. I do not agree. People who are body positive or part of the ‘body posi’ have courage, strength and good will. They yearn to make people feel better whilst accepting themselves.
I believe that this message should be spread, especially to teenagers who are struggling with their image. I’m not advising people to post the pictures but just listen to the message.
Body positivity needs to be talked about more. Teenagers need to be more body positive, and in fact, so does everyone else. I know adults who aren’t comfortable in their own skin. We all should at least try. I know, it’s hard. It’s hard to go out and not feel uncomfortable in what we are wearing but it’s not impossible.
After going through years of trying to get to a certain number on the weighing scales, I achieved it, and then suddenly that number wasn’t good enough either. However, now, I honestly don’t mind. I’m a healthy weight, an acceptable dress size, it’s time to live not obsess. I keep fit but i don’t track calories.
It’s how we should live. We should not obsess. Especially teenagers. Teenagers who have their whole lives to stress over something. Teenagers who are learning. Teenagers who are struggling with enough let alone adding weight to their problems.
So, let’s all pass the body positive message on. Accept yourselves.
