What are your best qualities?
Hard worker, go-getter, resilient, multi-talented.
Do you have any undesirable qualities?
Bad at taking time for myself and relaxing, caring too much about what others think!
What do you love the most about your body?
That it’s got me this far through so much and keeps pushing through.
Tell us the story about your scars...
One of my scars on my forehead is from running into an iron gate while playing with my cousins as a child when I was visiting family in India at my grandparents’ farm. I like it because it’s like my heritage is forever marked on me.
I have a lot of stretch marks around my waist and lower back and chest from my growth spurt and from loosing and gaining weight rapidly.
What was your response when you first noticed your body changing?
I didn’t notice when my body started changing. Others did. I no longer could dress how I normally did and had to now be conscious of things I didn’t need to be conscious of before. It made me suddenly feel the need to notice others’ bodies which I hadn’t had to before and made me feel like I wasn’t enough or had to change how I looked to look like others.
How did those around you make you feel about these changes?
Others made me feel like I had to dress a certain way and shave my body all of a sudden to “be feminine.” It was mostly other women and men never made me feel negative about my looks or body or even brought attention to it. Women on social media and in media in general also made me feel self-conscious.
Describe your journey with body acceptance...
I’m still learning to accept my body. Most of the time I try not to think about it and focus on my health which can be hard with chronic illness and my lifestyle. I think because of my passions being an artist and creative and how social media is now essential to being able to be a creative unfortunately, I have body image thrown in my face daily and I have to compromise and agree that yes, the way my body looks does have a say in my success no matter my talent.
How do you incorporate self-love into your routine?
I like to stare at myself naked in the mirror whenever I can and appreciate what I see to incorporate self-love in my routine. I also like to practice yoga and pilates when possible and feel gratitude through moving my body.
What about self-love are you continuing to work on?
I’m still working on self-love through being constantly reminded of beauty standards on social media. I try to take breaks and remind myself that real people don’t always look so perfect and not blame my appearance for lack of social media engagement or attention. As an anxious person, I try to remind myself that what matters more is the energy I bring and how I make others feel not what I look like.
What is one of your qualities you wish shined brighter than your exterior appearance?
I wish my genuineness and talent shined brighter than my exterior appearance.
What lesson do you hope to instill in your children about self-love & body acceptance?
The lesson I hope to instill in my children about self-love and body acceptance is through observing how I treat myself and practice self-love. I want them to know that external factors cannot penetrate a person who knows their worth and loves what their body is in completeness aside from societal norms. And of course tell them as much as possible how their strength marks and other body attributes that aren’t showcased as the beauty standard are my favorite things about them and something that makes them unique!
What makes you the happiest in the world?
Reminding myself that past me would have been the happiest in the world to know where I am now and all that I have accomplished takes me to that state. Also, my cat makes me the happiest in the world!