Lower Standards of Beauty

You heard that right, lower standards. You may be asking why, but the reason is they are so highly unachievable that girls, young women (and boys/men too) are dying from eating disorders and from whatever supplements they take to try and be the ideal image of beauty. This young woman wrote a powerful post claims that we need to set lower standards for a positive body image. I couldn't agree more.

I know I will never have (naturally) large breasts, I don't have a six-pack, I will never have long lean legs, I will not have perfect clear and tanned skin. As someone who herself is average, I am 5'2 and 125 pounds. Not too fat and certainly not skinny, but in the middle, a little meaty here and there. I have only recently become okay with my body, though I still have bouts with myself and my confidence, but this other young woman who is similar in her average-ness hit the nail on the head. I'm just going to post what she listed needs to be done to change body image, or you can click the hyperlink above to read the full article.


[the following list is not mine, I do not claim to be the owner of these words, I do not take credit whatsoever for them.]

1. We learn to be happy with who we are internally before accepting ourselves externally. (Yes, I am aware that sounds like a load of psychological crap.) But this is huge, really. I promise. I was the master of turning on the confidence on the outside, when on the inside I was eating myself alive because I wasn't happy with life as a whole. Sure, this was mostly during my drinking, but my drinking may be someone else's relationship problem, another person's depression and so on. Everyone has that thing that makes them tick and until that is resolved, it's difficult to be content.
2. If we don't like something, we need to take action. B*tching and moaning will only get us so far, not to mention set a bad example for younger girls. If we want to be more fit, get our butts to the gym. If we want to eat better food, stop buying crap. It's both as simple and as difficult as that.
3. We need to do it for ourselves -- not for husbands, boyfriends or the opposite sex in general. Sure, it feels fantastic to be appealing to them. But if you do something for someone else, it likely won't last or as mean as much. Guys are great, feeling sexy is great -- but do yourself a favor and do it for you.
4. Don't dress how you feel, dress how you want to feel. What I mean is this: If we wake up feeling crappy and unattractive (and we all have those days), we shouldn't just say screw it and throw on sweats. If we do, we'll just feel even worse later in the day. Put in some effort to look presentable, and feeling like it will likely follow.
5. Remember that men struggle too (while keeping in mind #3). Women seem to have this idea that all men desire a model brimming over with sex appeal, and that's not always the case. Think about it -- that's not what we expect from men, so why would that be what they expect from us? Many guys like when women have a little something to them, when they take care of their bodies but aren't a stick figure. Being a confident person is a turn on.
6. We need to strive for healthy, not skinny. There is a difference. Of course the preferred option would be healthy and skinny, but not everyone is born with the ability to constantly diet and live at the gym in exchange for that perfect body. Healthy looks different on different body types, and women (hell, men too) need to realize this.
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I couldn't have said it better. It's all about positivity, people need to stop shaming one another. It happens all too often to regular people and celebrities alike. As soon as someone gains weight or loses weight, or gets a bad haircut or color, it becomes a battle. It's difficult enough that we battle with ourselves, but to have to battle with friends, relatives, peers, or complete strangers? Enough is enough. People think that nowadays with social media and the Internet they can attack others because they can hide behind a screen, which while you can, I ask you to think how the other person hiding behind their screen feels? Whether you think you know someone or not, remember you don't. Remember to think how you would feel if someone said or did something to you. Think twice before you attack someone else. The negativity needs to end so positivity can flourish. And don't be fake about it, don't be nice to a child but then mean to an adult. I'm sure you've heard this phrase, "if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it at all". It's an oldie, but a goodie, and can really change how people see and feel about body image.

Give respect, get respect.