Time to be positive

Ever since I was young I was overwhelmingly exposed to an image of what the ideal woman looks like, or should look like. Tall, thin, long legs, perfect hair, and overwhelmingly beautiful.  As I grew up I kept thinking that I would magically turn into the beautiful women I saw in the magazines.  But as time went on I realized that wasn't going to happen. I realized that I was going to have to work very hard to meet the expectations created by the media.

I myself have always struggled with trying to meet these perfect expectations that society has created. Like I'm sure all other girls have done over 100 times. I've stood in front of a mirror picking at what makes me imperfect, instead of what make me perfect. But it's up to you to realize that no one is perfect.

 These Photoshopped and airbrushed images that I see in the media have lead to the false beautification of a person that does not exist. "These images are air-brushed versions of models who weigh 23% less than the average woman." (justsayyes.org). It's photos like these that set an unrealistic standard of the "average women". It saddens me that society has set an expectation for women that is literally impossible to reach. We all come from different backgrounds and genes, and no one of us is alike. Although some of us may be more fortunate in the gene department, that doesn't mean that we aren't all beautiful.

One of the biggest problems about this topic is the young age that so many of these expectations are formed. "69% of girls in 5th – 12th grades reported that magazine pictures influenced their idea of a perfect body" (justsayyes.org). I don't think that is stressed enough how important positive body image is, along with promoting activity and healthy eating habits at a young age. It is so important for everyone to feel healthy and beautiful in their own skin, and society prevents us from doing that.

After taking an eating disorders class this semester I have learned how unhealthy, and deadly body disformia really is. The worst part is how many people are actually struggling with it. " In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life" (Nationaleatingdisorders.org). It's time to stop this alarming statistic.

It's up to you to be happy with who you are, and what you look like. If you aren't, you need to make the healthy changes necessary to find peace with the way you look.

XOXO Julezz