We all have them. Insecurities. They eat you up every time you look for an outfit, every time you try on a bathing suit or that cute new dress that you found at Charlotte Russe and it's not just you. You're not alone in this struggle with insecurities, many women experience them, some more than others, and some may vocalize it more than others but you're not alone.
Personally, I was always a skinny girl growing up. You know that awkwardly tall and unproportionate skinny girl that had to stand in the back of every class photo? Yeah, that was me. I was too small for my awkward height and don't even get me started about how big my head was (and still is) compared to my small body. And then, around my junior year of high school, my Latina genes and my fast metabolism quickly caught up to me, and when I mean quickly, I mean quickly. My hips began to spread, my thighs began to get bigger and my butt.. well, it had a mind of its own.
Now, I know many girls who told me it fit me perfectly and that I looked good with the extra weight but to me, I was horrified. Mind you, it didn't stop. I didn't stop gaining weight until about three months ago and I'm still not used to it. 2 years and 20 pounds later, I'm still as insecure as I was when I was small. Why is that? Why is it that girls always get plagued with all these insecurities? I'm sure males get them, I know they do but not nearly as much as girls. Is it the body shaming females experience every day from the media? Is it the constant need to compete for male attention or even, to compete against each other? What is it that constantly makes females hate their stretch marks, their cellulite, the fact that their body isn't how they want it to be, or how the media says it should be? I honestly have no idea, but it's time for women to know that it is OK.
It is okay to have stretch marks, it is okay to have cellulite. It's okay to be bigger or to be smaller or to be just right. We are all unique and believe me when I say, men will love you just the way you are. Before writing this article, I talked to many men and they all told me the same thing, they love seeing a woman's natural body, whether she has stretch marks, cellulite, or whether she doesn't.
Surprisingly, not one said anything negative about this topic. A lot of the times I believe we let our assumptions about what other people think about us get to our heads and we let it consume us and that's understandable considering how much shit (excuse my language) we get put through for our bodies. It is okay to have these insecurities, and it is okay to face them.
We are women. We are strong and powerful, more than you could possible every imagine. No matter what men say, the world revolves around women. We keep the world spinning with what's between our thighs and what's in our heads and our hearts. When you realize this, you'll realize that it is okay to feel insecure, we all do, but it is also okay to stand up for those insecurities and take pride in your body. It is, after all, your temple. It belongs to you and only you. Love it, cherish it, admire it, take care of it in your own personal way. Be happy with it!!
