Hi friends! This one is going to be real, raw and one I have had on my heart for a while. I am going to be 100% transparent, honest, and just lay it out there. We don’t judge around here. K. If you are a Judgy Jane, just leave now.

Body image. It is something everyone struggles with. Everyone. Whether you think you are too thin, too fat, too [fill in the blank]. We all have things we want to change about our body. Fair?

I have social media accounts. I love a good filter. You can go from looking homeless to glam in a swipe. I don’t do the face tune app of whitening teeth, smoothing fat parts, clearing your skin or whatever else you can do with that app. I can never whiten my teeth without smearing my entire face. #fatfingers I definitely crop pictures, change lighting, use filters, etc. to create a better picture. I creep on people when I want to play detective to find something out. When in reality it is just a narrative I came up with using context clues based off the highlight reel of their life.

When a friend calls me about an ex dating someone new and she feels insecure, I tell her to look at the tagged pictures. Why? Because everyone posts the best pictures of themselves. You want to see what someone really looks like go look at their tagged pictures. I have fat rolls when I sit down. I love my legs, but when I cross my legs I have some cellulite on the side of my upper thigh that I don’t love. I critique pictures of myself and am picky on the normal problem areas… stomach, back, arms, legs, etc. Then I want to take the picture again thinking it will be different. I cannot for the life of me figure out how people take pictures in the right angles. Put your foot here, leg here, turn your body here, put your hip out, weight in one leg. I mean for the love are we taking pictures or playing twister?! I would probably get a better picture playing twister. HA!

I love pictures! I love the memories they capture. Candid pictures are my favorite! I love when true, raw and real emotions are captured. I am not a judgy person in the sense I won’t hold anything against a person for what you do, wear, say, etc. Different story if you are being disrespectful, rude, a bully… those things don’t fly around here. Don’t be a jerk. If you are living your life and just doing you. I am all about it and fully supportive! You do you boo!

On another note, most of my life I was bigger than my peers. I went through puberty early and have always been a taller kid. I was in the 95th percentile most of my childhood. I grew a foot, a freaking ruler, in one year. I was an athlete. Bigger legs, tall, and broad shoulders. The guys I had crushes on always went for my friends. They were tiny and cute. I was massive. That wasn’t the reality, it was just how I felt. I would constantly question why I wasn’t good enough in the looks department? The nail people would always tell my sister she was so tiny like baby. They told me I was healthy. Thank you very much. That messes with a kid/teenager when all they want to do is fit in and be accepted for who they are.

Today, I am still tall. My body is different. I am more toned and thin. I see the thin Amanda a majority of the time. I am comfortable in my own skin 95% of the time. There are times I still see big Amanda when I look in the mirror or in pictures compared to my friends. I see the rolls, fluff, squish. In those moments, I am very critical of my body and how I look.

Let me let you in on a little something… EVERYONE looks at pictures and critiques themselves. EVERYONE wants to change things about their body. EVERYONE is a work in progress and trying to find their way. EVERYONE is dealing with something and has insecurities. I don’t care how attractive, fit or whatever else they are. They have something they wish was different/better.

Little PSA: Take care of your body. Live a 80/20 lifestyle. Food, exercise and sleep can fix a lot of health issues. A lot. Also, quit worrying about the number on the scale or the size on your clothes. Buy clothes that fit and flatter your body. Who gives a rats ass what size clothes you are wearing. When you try to fit into clothes you used to wear that don’t fit anymore (big or small) it is not cute! You are either busting out of them or being swallowed up. Last time I checked, most people don’t tell you how cute you look and then ask,”Oh what size is that??” Swallow your pride and buy what fits you best!!! Moving on.

Here’s the deal friends! You are beautifully made. You are precious! God knew the world needed YOU! Are you going to be confident in your own skin after reading this? Maybe more than you did before, but it’s not an overnight change. You have to intentionally change your thoughts. It is a constant work in progress. In the meantime, I am here to encourage and remind you of a few things.

You are beautifully and wonderfully made. Perfect. Yes, you!

The world needs a YOU… just as you are.

Don’t be so hard on yourself. You are comparing yourself to the models in magazines, on TV, and all the people on social media. Editing is very powerful. It is also not real. You see what will fit in the screen of their phone. You don’t get to see the whole picture.

I have personally never struggled with eating disorders. If you have, get help. There are so many resources that will help and want to help. That doesn’t define you.

You are enough. You are more than the number on the scale or size of shirt. You are SO MUCH more than that.

You, my friend, are valid in your feelings/insecurities. You just can’t stay there. Embrace all that you are inside and out. You can be the most beautiful person in the world and have an ugly heart. That makes you are the ugliest person in the world. How you treat people and yourself matters so much more than how good you look.

Wear what makes you feel best! You love color, rock it! You love neutrals, rock it! Wear it with confidence and you can rock any outfit!

Friend, you are beautiful. Truly beautiful. God doesn’t make mistakes. Ever. Don’t ever forget that.

Have the best day!! If you can’t get the right angle either, you aren’t alone. Laugh in our awkwardness! Laughing pictures are the best anyway! Thank you for spending some of your day with me! So much love and good vibes sent your way!! Until next time!

Amanda