4 Steps I've Taken Towards Developing Body Positivity
All bodies are good bodies.
- 1. Cleansing My Social Media
Recently, I downsized my Instagram by removing followers. I was raised in a culture whose people greet you by commenting on your weight. Or acne. Or scars. Anything, really. And, while I can't do much to control when it's done in person, my social media is my safe space and I refuse to harbor followers who spew negativity.
* I still love my people. However, this one habit of theirs is a bit overbearing.
- 2. Wearing Crop Tops
They're CUTE! They're fashionable, affordable, and they can be styled with almost anything. I can't believe I used to listen to people who said that I had to be skinny to wear a crop top. Also, personally, they've helped me to become more accepting of my belly fat.
- 3. Rocking My Natural Hair
Ahem. When I say body positivity, I mean the WHOLE BODY. With that being said, natural hair was not embraced when I was a kid. Well, at least not black people's natural hair. Everyone I knew- including myself- had a perm. In middle school and high school, I'd just keep my hair in a bun, box braids, a twist-out, or the occasional puff. But, in college, I FINALLY started wearing wash-n-go's and an un-stretched afro. Liberated. That's how I felt wearing my natural hair after so many years of people policing it.
- 4. Documenting My Outfits
I take a picture of myself every day. Why? To look at them on days that I don't feel so confident about myself and be reminded that I am that girl. PERIOD.
