Body Positivity: Why Is it Important?

Everyone’s body shape is different, and that’s okay. Everyone’s height and/or weight is different, and that’s okay. What’s not okay is shaming or excluding others just because they’re different in some way. 

Now I don’t consider myself to be a model, but in truth, I believe that every woman’s body is model-worthy. I also still believe that it's better to find balance within your health habits. Doing too much or not enough of something can lead to worrying consequences later down the line, and I'm speaking from experience on that. Of course, I realize that everybody's health journey is different, but that's besides the point.

If you look at yourself in a mirror, wearing nothing but your undergarments, what would be the first thing you see? What would be the first thing you feel? Are those thoughts, feelings and observations negative or positive? Now I’m not going to pretend like I understand as everyone’s circumstances are different, but what I will say is that it’s okay to feel insecure. It’s okay to feel down, and if you’re being hard on yourself, then that’s normal. Learn to accept those emotions without identifying with them. I realize that this isn’t easy to do, but doing this will be a good first step into feeling more positive about yourself. Self-love doesn’t require anything fancy or elaborate when you’re first getting started as long as you first acknowledge those negative thoughts and feelings. 

With everything my body has been through since middle school, I find it more important than ever to give yourself grace and not worry so much about the numbers. We're only given one body, so we might as well make the most of it while also trying to reach whatever goals you may have. I remember being told to eat more because of me being skinny throughout my earlier years in grade 5 and 6, and while this was because of an issue related to my thyroid, I feel like this one mistake has taught me what it means to live a balanced lifestyle. It still wasn't easy for me to curb my eating habits; I gained quite a bit of weight and struggled to slim down throughout my teen years.

So even though I value sustainability the most when it comes to fashion, I also value transparency, comfort and quality. I’ve been following Aerie since high school, and I’ve found that the quality of their undergarments continues to improve since the start of my body positivity journey. I also love how the brand really seems to understand my body type as I can easily find things in my size since I’m a little big in my hips. So other than my love for Aerie’s undergarments, I also really love their leggings! I currently have 3 pairs of their leggings in black, navy blue and brown and they’re just so comfortable for everyday lounge wear. If I wanted to, I would own their leggings in all the colors, but I prefer more neutral or classic color tones anyways.

To wrap this up, I'd say that this topic is important for all women, young or old alike. And while I'm not saying this to be judgmental, I do believe that one's style can't be defined until they learn to accept the body they're in. Our weight will change, and as we grow older, our bodies will change along with that. It's okay if you don't look like the typical, size zero model, because what matters most is how you feel about yourself.