Struggling with Body Image

Struggling with Body Image

I am the size of a twig. In Mary Schmich’s column “Wear Sunscreen,” she advises the following: “Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.” At some point in their lives, people will have an issue with body image, whether it’s their stomach, thighs, arms, chest, feet. Some struggle on a daily basis, and it’s not just teenagers. Remember, you are not alone.

So what if your thighs are the size of an elephant’s? Who cares if your chest is as flat as a concrete slab? In the future, will it really matter if your arms are as weak as a kitten’s meow? No, it won’t. What matters is how you carry yourself when your insecurities try to eat your confidence away.
— Faith Gant

The girl looked in awe as her favorite model strutted on the runway. She has already decided she will eat less to look just like this model. In Mary Schmich’s column “Wear Sunscreen,” she says “Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.” Girls tend to think that they need to look like models and so hold themselves to impossibly-high standards. However, if they take Schmich’s advice to heart, they may build enough self confidence to put the magazines down and learn to love themselves.
— Kaitlin Dodson