What I choose to focus on instead: Being in Spain with the love of my life, the pure joy on my face, the laughs I shared with John & my cousin on this day, the Tinto de Verano I drank in the sunshine.
We are our own harshest critics, especially when it comes to our bodies. So often we zero in on one small thing that we perceive as a flaw; it’s all we see. That one little “flaw” can hold so much power. It has the power to hold us back from doing things we love. It has the power to turn a happy memory into a picture we hate of ourselves.
Before I started this blog, I hated looking at pictures of myself. I would stare at how big my arms looked, or compare my waist size to whoever else was in the photo. I would suck in my stomach and contort my body to find the most “flattering” angle. All of that effort, & I would still hate looking at the photo afterwards. I made it a New Year’s resolution to focus on how happy I look in photos instead of how my body looks. I knew that if I wanted to start a blog, I would have to get over my aversion to photos & embrace my imperfections.
Do I still hate photos of myself sometimes? Absolutely. I’m only human, & it’ll take a while to undo some of the more toxic thoughts I’ve had about my body for my whole life. If you’re in the same boat, I hope that you can look past whatever perceived flaws you’re focusing on. Instead, look at that smile! Are you surrounded by loved ones in the photo who are making you laugh? Look at your body! Is it letting you hug someone you love or dance with them? Look at the whole picture. I promise you that no one else is looking at your arms. Don’t let that one tiny thing hold so much power over you. Don’t let it hold you back from living your best life!
Those “flaws” make you YOU. There is so much beauty in that.
Danielle
Danielle Delgado 