Loving your body can be tough. Poor body image has many negative outcomes—it contributes to depression and eating disorders, undermines self-confidence, and inhibits sexual expression. When we feel unattractive, we are more fearful of negative evaluations from others and develop shame. Such shame leads to self-disrespecting behavior such as chronic dieting, overeating, compulsive exercising, and other forms of purging. While body image tends to have very little correlation with how you actually look (beautiful women are as likely as plain to be unhappy with their looks), there are strong links to negative body image and low self-esteem.As I was doing research on this topic, I came across a YouTube video about a young woman, Chantelle Brown, who has a rare skin condition and pigment disorder called vitiligo, in which the skin’s pigment cells are destroyed. As a result, white patches appear on the skin in different parts of the body.
"A lot of people have a story and a background, but mine is painted on my body,” Chantelle says. Chantelle, whose vitiligo began to materialize at age four, grew up being bullied and called names such as “cow” and “zebra.” She struggled with her self-esteem and—at her lowest point—pondered suicide. Despite her struggles, she has learned to love her body and herself: "I have my flaws but I embrace them." See her interview in the video below!
"A lot of people have a story and a background, but mine is painted on my body,” Chantelle says. Chantelle, whose vitiligo began to materialize at age four, grew up being bullied and called names such as “cow” and “zebra.” She struggled with her self-esteem and—at her lowest point—pondered suicide. Despite her struggles, she has learned to love her body and herself: "I have my flaws but I embrace them." See her interview in the video below!
How would you like to love your body and yourself like Chantelle? How would it feel to embrace your flaws as beautiful, rather than hiding them and tearing yourself down?
ADSENSE HERE