Hi Musers, I realise the headline may be shocking but please stay with me. The longer I continue with my self-love journey the more I get angry about how much of my life I wasted fighting to change my body and myself. To look as society says I should. To be thin, have great hair, perfect makeup, eyeliner on fleek, immaculate nails, and so on. I ignored everything good about me. If I wasn’t perfect on the outside anything else was irrelevant.

That is bullshit! I am so much more than how I look. There are so many other parts of me. Just like there are lots of other wonderful things about you. The reason we all believe we’re not is because there are many industries who rely on that belief. Industries who make billions every year by reinforcing it. Yes, that’s right diet, fashion, and beauty industries. I’m looking at you! If every person in the world decided to love themselves exactly as they are then these industries would die. They can’t allow that to happen.

What do they do?

They make the goal of perfection unachievable to all but a tiny percentage of the population. If it ever looks like too many people are feeling perfect on the outside then they hurriedly move the goalposts. You’re a size 10? Fantastic! Size 8 is the goal now though, sorry! Don’t worry though, we offer this body-transforming diet for a low monthly price. You have 34C boobs that are pert and natural-looking? Good for you! Unfortunately, men really go for 36DD now. Would you like to have a chat about breast implants? See what I mean? It’s impossible to get there and even more impossible to stay there.

Stop the fight

The only way we can stop having our feelings of self-worth being dictated by how we look is to accept that diversity is beautiful. There is no one size fits all standard to look perfect on the outside. Thin bodies are beautiful and so are fat bodies. Pale skin is no more beautiful than tanned skin, or vice-versa. A black woman would not look better if she were white. Curly or straight your hair is still amazing. Tall, short, curvy, athletic, apple-shaped, pear-shaped and all the shapes in between. They’re all wonderful. Get the idea?

How do I learn to see beauty differently?

Just like charity, beauty begins at home. Start working on believing in your own beauty. This is a journey only you can take and it will be as unique as you are. Here are a few ideas to get you started though.

• Put on your favourite outfit, one you always feel a million dollars in. Take photos of yourself from every angle. Print the photos out and hang them where you’ll see them every day. If you find yourself focussing on your flaws keep repeating “They’re not flaws! They’re just me. I am beautiful.” With enough repetition, you will believe it.
• Stick a photo of yourself in the middle of a big piece of paper. Write all the things you love about yourself on it. Start with 5 and then try to add a new one every day. After a month you have something you can look at the explains why you’re an amazing, beautiful person.
• Go on Instagram and look for photos of people of every size, race, height, shape, and gender. Think about what’s beautiful about them. Ask why you can see the beauty in them and not yourself.
• Remind yourself that you are more than how you look. Every single day. Spread the word to your friends too!

What do you think Musers? Are you ready to get off the treadmill? To stop putting your money into the pockets of these evil corporations? Are you ready to embrace your beauty and learn to love yourself just as you are? If so why not pop your pledge in the comments!

Love CMoo