Self-embrace and body positivity can make us feel unstoppable

I’m 5 feet tall, weigh about 134 pounds, and the last time I went to the doctor’s office they told me I was overweight. That statement never leaves my head.

Every morning as I get ready to go about my day, I look at my stomach pouch and laugh. I laugh for many reasons.

I laugh because I don’t look like those Instagram models on social media. I laugh because I am not a size 2 in jeans anymore and I don’t think I ever will be.

I laugh because in some of my clothing I feel like I can take over the world, and in others, I’d rather hide in a shell. I laugh because the more I have learned to love myself and be kinder to my body, the happier I am.

I laugh because I realize that in order for me to truly be body positive I must always love myself for who I am regardless of what the whole damn world has to think.

2019 was definitely a year filled with body positivity all thanks to many inspirational figures and artists, one being singer and artist Lizzo.

Lizzo showed the world what she is made of and that her figure is no match for anyone’s social standards and expectations.

Through it all, she remains bold and strongly driven continuing to empower women to love themselves regardless of the size of their bodies.

Ever since I have learned to accept myself for who I am and embrace every part of me I feel unstoppable.

Brenda Sanchez

According to an interview with The Guardian, Lizzo speaks out about body positivity and how it has shaped her own strength to empower other women.

“I would watch things on television and look at magazines and I would not see myself,” she said. “When you don’t see yourself, you think something is wrong with you.”

I too thought something was wrong with me. I felt gross, I was unhappy, I was embarrassed of myself. How lame, right. I know now I was wrong.

Ever since I have learned to accept myself for who I am and embrace every part of me I feel unstoppable. I feel empowered. I’m finally in control of myself.

Being more open to the concept of accepting myself for who I am has also left me to ask many questions.

Why are we still blaming plus size women for loving themselves, enough to also blame them for promoting obesity? But when we see a thin person showing off their goodies, we’re there hyping them up.

As a society that is supposed to be focusing on uplifting one another and empowering one another, we have taken a step back.

Does body positivity truly exist, or are we just gathering words of language together to piece something that we as a society cannot agree on? The truth is we have created a division between body positivity and women empowerment.

How do we connect body image and women empowerment without shaming women based on their body sizes, you may ask? In order to focus on body positivity and women empowerment, we must move away from everything that categorizes, divides, and places a stereotype on us.

So, I urge you all to love yourselves, love one another, and more importantly be kind to yourself and your bodies, because we are all unique and beautiful in our own way.