Being able to accept and appreciate our unique bodies is a prominent problem facing millions of individuals across the world. The universal desire to be able to look in the mirror and like what we see is an innate part of the human experience. Accepting our physical bodies is something that all generations, all nationalities and all genders struggle with.
We are so much more than our physical appearance. Equating your self-worth with your appearance prevents you from seeing yourself the way that others see you, because your identity is so much more than your physical body. You are a beautiful soul in a body that you may not appreciate. Your identity is so much more than your appearance. Your identity is composed of your culture, of your actions, of your relationships and of your character. Your identity includes being someone's daughter, someone's sister, someone's father, someone's brother, someone's cousin, someone's friend or someone's mentor. Your identity includes being being a Christian, being Catholic, being Muslim, being agnostic or being spiritual. Your identity includes being a scholar, being a great singer, being someone who always tries their best, being a volunteer, being kind and being someone who is always willing to help others. Strive to be someone who is known for their kindness, known for their activism, known for their ability to make anyone laugh or known for their love for their family instead of someone who is "pretty."
The media's portrayal of beauty and the popular standards for what makes someone healthy are not realistic or obtainable for all individuals- we, as a human race, were not made to be "one size fits all." Being healthy means something different for each of us and our overall health includes more than what others are able to see. Being healthy is more than a specific weight. You can be "healthy" with thick thighs, skinny legs, big bones, visible ribs or a large chest. Health encompasses our emotional health, our psychical health, our social health and our mental health. You may eat healthier and work out more frequently than your best friend and still be heavier- and that's OK. Focus on loving yourself and stop comparing yourself to that girl on Instagram.
Instead of the "Fat Acceptance Movement" or the "Skinny Shaming" debates, let's focus on Body Acceptance and Body Appreciation. You don't want your daughter to grow up constantly hearing you say how you hate your thighs, wish your hair was longer or wish your nose was smaller. You want your daughter to grow up knowing that you loved being strong enough to swim marathons, brave enough to climb mountains and happy with who you were. You want your son to grow up knowing that all girls- and all people- are beautiful for who they are on the inside, not for their bodies. Don't talk about your latest diet. Instead, talk about how you love going for walks outside and take your family on a hike at the park. Don't talk about how that girl at the party looked too skinny. Instead, talk about how much she loves her family. Don't talk about how that boy is too scrawny for a particular sport. Instead, talk about how his mind is full of wonderful ideas and how his dedication to getting stronger will make him a great athlete.
It is time to start accepting and appreciating our bodies, as well as the bodies around us. Appreciate that your legs are strong enough to help you face your fear of heights through rock-climbing, that your heart is strong enough to pump blood through your body while you run a marathon, that your arms are strong enough to lift the baby that you love, that your eyes let you see the beauty in the world around you and that your body is beautiful because it is yours. Appreciate that you are strong, that you are working on getting stronger and that you are able to use your body to make a difference in this world. Love your brown eyes because they are your mother's, even if you wish they were blue. Love your eyelids that don't meet the popular standard for American beauty, because they are a part of your Korean heritage, and where you come from is more beautiful and important than eyelids. Love your dimple because it makes you unique. Love your chin because you are the only one in your family who has a pointy chin and it makes you unique. Love your nose that you think is too big because it is able to smell the beautiful scent of the flowers.
Personally, I have struggled many years with accepting my body. I have struggled to accept that I have a chipped front-tooth, an acne scar on my face, stretch marks covering my stomach like a road map and a large chest that makes fitting into the cute dresses I yearn to fill my closet with impossible to fit into correctly. I have struggled to accept that I have a slow metabolism and that I may never be the size I want to be, but I have realized that these characteristics do not define me. I've learned to appreciate my stretch marks because they show that me, the tiny 3.1 pound premature baby that they thought may not make it, was able to grow into an adult. My vision isn't the best, but I am able to see the beauty in the world around me and capture it with my photography. Because I have learned to accept and appreciate my body, I am healthier and happier than I was a year ago, a week ago and a day ago.
It's time that we all start trying to accept and appreciate all bodies and all people, because we are so much more than our physical appearance.
