Positive body image | Launceston Wellness Photographer
I've been really inspired by a few people in the media lately. They’re spreading a message that I’m really passionate about. Something I’ve been working really hard on myself and that’s having a positive body image.
I woke up to this image in my instagram feed this morning and inspired me to write this post and share this picture. You find it here.
I’ve had this dream for awhile now, but have been struggling with how to deliver and go about it and as the years go by my idea keeps getting bigger and bigger, but it never goes away. What started off with wanting to take beautiful pictures of people that weren’t the standard glamour or boudoir pictures that you see a lot of photographers doing. I didn’t want them to be about how you look. More about how you feel and to celebrate you as a person. How often do we actually stop to think how far we have come, we’re too busy searching for the next big thing. We don’t spend enough time acknowledging and celebrating where we actually are right now. Maybe you haven't hit that big goal or that big dream yet but I bet you've come a damn long way.
As I was editing this week I was listening to this documentary series on FMTV. I love watching, reading and listening to anything heath and wellness when ever I can. If you haven’t heard of FMTV you should go check it out. Its like Netflix but everything health and wellness. So anyway I was watching this new documentary series called TRANSCENDENCE an episode called The Art Of Fullfillment. They were talking about finding your purpose, not just the one that pays the bills, but one that gets you jumping out of bed and that often you will find this purpose in your life story. We need more people to be vulnerable and to share the not so perfect.
I’ve been sharing my story a little more here and there sharing my struggles with binge eating and body image and behind the scenes I’m trying to put together a wellness photography experience. One thats not just a photo session but one thats a journey of self discovery and developing a positive body image. So next time your husband, friend or sister or whoever it might be wants take your picture, you jump in there with pride and nothing but love for yourself.
Watching that series has given me a little nudge to let go of my fear. To stop letting it hold me back. I want to be one of those people to inspire, even if its just one person to take along this journey with me. I want to help spread this movement of body positive instead of the diet culture telling us something is wrong. Let’s take the preasure off ourselves and start loving our body at every shape and size. Because really it only brings nothing but unhappiness.
What’s stopping you from jumping in front of the camera and looking at yourself with love and compassion? Do you look at professional photo’s and wish you had the confidence to get your own done? Do you shy away every time you see a camera? Do you look in the mirror and only see hate and self loath? Do you keep putting things off till you lose 10kg?
It”s time to stop!
Stop waiting for the perfect moment. LIVE IN THE NOW!! It’s such a wonderful feeling when you decide to quiet the diet culture and start living. It’s not an easy journey but I promise you it leads to a more peaceful one.
I’m the one who always has the camera in hand and I have to ask my husband more often to take pictures of me, especially with my children. It’s hard and I still have some work to do. But I’m grateful to have this picture with me and my children on our holiday. When I look at pictures of myself for a moment I might be judgemental to myself, but then I try to pick out all the wonderful things and remind myself that I’m going to keep taking care of myself and I know that doesn’t guarantee I’ll end up in a small sized body.
Let me say this, you and your body are not the problem. We live in a broken world that doesn’t want you to accept fat on your body. A society who wants you striving for thinness, but thin isn’t what all of us are called to be. Instead of going to body shaming, I challenge you to unearth what else is bothering you or stressing you out that you are blaming your body for.
3 takeaways:
You deserve to have an opinion of yourself that doesn’t involve your body size.
Seeing a photo of yourself/reflection you don’t like is an opportunity to choose to be kind to yourself.
Photos or mirrors should be viewed as tools of acceptance and an opportunity to practice kindness, not tools of change.
Start with statements like, "I am..." or "What I'm really proud of myself for is..."
We deserve to have a positive body image of ourselves.