When we think about our bodies, we often think about the way they look, as opposed to what they accomplish for us everyday. It's easy to forget how powerful our bodies actually are. For me, I feel empowered when I use my body to exercise, play sports and explore the world. My body allows me to sing, dance, talk, feel—and eat a damn good piece of cheesecake.
To help create more inclusivity of the female form (and to celebrate Straight/Curve, a new documentary I took part in about female body image and the people fighting for diversity in the fashion industry), I wanted to share six ways you can be daring with your own body. Because all it takes is a shift in mentality to appreciate everything your body (and mind!) does for you, and to change the way you view yourself.
1. It is daring to go makeup free.
We are surrounded by pictures of flawless, FaceTuned selfies with very creative contouring, which makes it hard to feel comfortable walking out the door or taking a picture completely makeup free. This is ridiculous! This is my face and my skin, and they are perfectly beautiful au natural. Don't get me wrong—I love wearing makeup. On a night out, I can feel unstoppable with an eyeliner wing and a bold lip. But I also love that I can still feel beautiful and confident without any of that. A few months ago, I shot Aerie's fall campaign which was not only unretouched, but also makeup free. It was daunting at first, but by the end I felt completely empowered showcasing my skin exactly as it was. I even had some pimples at the time of the shoot, and I hope when young girls saw the campaign they noticed them and realized that you can have these so-called "flaws" and still look and feel beautiful.
2. It is daring to call out the haters.
I have heard every negative thing under the sun about my body, and it took me many years to have the confidence to stand up for myself and not internalize other people's hateful words and comments. Earlier this year, an Instagram user called me a "fat cow who ate too many bags of crisps." I decided I had had enough. I wanted to show my followers that you can stand up for yourself and turn something so negative into a positive. I decided to get creative, so I asked everyone on set that day to gather all the bags of crisps they could find. I stripped down and covered the bags over my body for an Instagram post, which was followed by a slo-mo video of me eating them and giving the middle finger. It was a fun and completely ridiculous response, but it was a way to flip the bully's words upside down and show him that he had no influence on me and how I view my body. Hateful words stand no chance against self-worth and a little bit of humor.
3. It is daring to rename your insecurities.
I decided to rename my cellulite "tiger stripes" and my stretch marks "lightning bolts" (and even use colorful emojis on Instagram to describe them), as a way to take ownership of my body. Who decided that these should be considered flaws? They are a part of our bodies and we can celebrate them anyway we want.
4. It is daring to break fashion rules.
I'm often asked, "How do you dress for your shape?" My response? Erm, anyway I want. We've all heard the basic fashion rules—stripes make you look wider, black is slimming, ruffles make your bust look bigger and unless you have a flat stomach, don't you dare go near a crop top. Well guess what? If you want to wear something and you feel confident, you are going to rock it. That's what I love about fashion; it's your choice and your chance to express yourself.
5. It is daring to ignore sizes.
Recently I tried on a pair of jeans that nearly broke my self-esteem. I was in a nice designer store, and the salesperson looked me over and gave me the largest size they had. "They're super stretchy," she said, "so they should fit." When I put the jeans on, I could barely get them over my knees. I felt upset and embarrassed, but in that moment I reminded myself that I shouldn't feel unworthy because of one pair of jeans. I refuse to let something as insignificant as a size or number on a scale determine how I feel about myself. I am grateful for my body, my health and the life that I have, and no arbitrary number should have any impact on that.
6. It is daring to love yourself.
It sounds simple, but for many people, learning to love yourself can be a major challenge. For me, it's been a journey, not a destination, and this has made all the difference not only in my career, but in my attitude and approach to life. I committed to practicing self-care and learned to appreciate my body for what it does and look after it because it's my home. As a result, my life has became a whole lot easier and much more enjoyable. Instead of waking up and letting the insecure demon I faced in the mirror control my thoughts, I learned to celebrate the person I am and the things I've accomplished. My body allows me to do so much, and everyday I have the opportunity to do the things I love and show kindness towards people around me, which makes me feel damn good. Self-love is the best gift you can give yourself, and though it can't be learned overnight, it is something each and every one of us deserves.
From: Harper's Bazaar
