What are your best qualities?
I am empathetic, patient, and independent.
Do you have any undesirable qualities?
I can be rigid, envious, and selfish.
What do you love the most about your body?
It took me a while to arrive here. I know my body will never be perfect (whatever that even means). How boring would it be if we all looked the same? I see traits in myself that come from my mother’s and father’s sides, and yet they come together to be uniquely my own, and I think that’s should be celebrated, not erased!
Tell us the story about your stretch marks and scars…
I've had eczema my whole life - ever since I was a baby. However, after it laid dormant for years, it came raging back my senior year of college. That's when I learned that stress and anxiety can cause flare ups. It can feel disheartening when you think you've learned how to manage your current skin complications, only to see new or different ones arise, or on different body parts. When I was younger, I would try to cover up any imperfection, but I’ve chosen to stop wasting time and brain space on hiding something that others probably don’t even notice or care about. We deserve to live full and abundant lives, even if “imperfections”, diagnoses, past experiences, etc might make it more difficult.
What was your response when you first noticed your body changing?
When I was younger, changes in my body were really hard to accept. I grew up dancing ballet, and that background came with a lot of physical appearance ideals that were just...unrealistic for my body.
How did those around you make you feel about these changes?
I am lucky to have family and close friends who don't put emphasis on outward appearances. Experiencing love, friendship, and connection for the person I am makes me feel incredibly blessed, especially since I know this isn't everyone's experience, unfortunately.
Describe your journey with body acceptance.
My journey with body acceptance is an ongoing one. Acceptance was definitely hard to come by when I was younger. I was spending time moving my body with the intention of changing it's outward appearance, buying lotions, scrubs, and creams in hopes to eliminate 'imperfections', choosing clothing to 'hack' how my body looks versus choosing clothing I wanted to wear. With a lot of learning and exposure to body acceptance and HAES spaces, I look back at those behaviors and can't help but think, "What a waste of time and mental space". I have one body and one life, and I want to spend it showing up for the people I care about, making a difference in people's lives, eating delicious food, and doing what I love.
How do you incorporate self-love into your routine?
I show myself self-love through the small things - getting enough sleep, making my cup of coffee in the morning, spending time outside with my dog before heading to work. I believe small and frequent acts of self love are just as important or effective as doing something elaborate for yourself.
What about self-love are you continuing to work on?
Continuing to practice gratitude on a more regular basis. Even in the hardest times or hardest days, our bodies do amazing things for us, and being able to recognize that and spend more time appreciating it takes effort and practice, but it's worth it.
What is one of your qualities you wish shined brighter than your exterior appearance?
Being a dependable friend. I think something like dependability is something that can be taken for granted because it can be so inconspicuous. But, I know how comforting it feels to be able to lean on others and know that they are there for you, and being able to be that kind of person for others is important to me.
What lesson do you hope to instil in your children about self-love & body acceptance?
You will not always love yourself. You will not always love your body. And that is okay. However, in those moments where it feels too hard to love yourself or love your body, it is so important to keep showing up for yourself and showing yourself and your body respect and moving through life and choosing to do things you love and value.
What makes you the happiest in the world?
I feel most a peace when I take my dog out to the park and let him roam and play off leash. There's something about watching a happy, carefree dog who will always come back to you and love you unconditionally.