This is a bit of an impromptu post - but something someone said has been stuck in my head. Maybe it was just a throwaway comment, but for some reason, I don’t think it was.

I’m not sure if this affects women more than men - I’m sure it impacts both, just in different ways - but it’s something that’s always been around: body image.

It’s easy to say, “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your weight or the way you look doesn’t define your worth.” And yes, that’s true - you know it is. Think about other people you care about; you wouldn’t measure their value by a number on a scale, right? It’s about who they are as a person. But the thing is, so many of us still live with this idea that we’ll only be happy when we’re thinner, fitter, healthier, more “put together."

People say it all the time: “When I lose weight, I’ll do this…” or “When I get fitter, I’ll finally try that…” or “When I stop drinking, I’ll be ready for that…” The list goes on. Look, I’m not immune to this either - I do it myself. But putting your happiness on hold like that piles so much pressure on you, and it also keeps you from enjoying the present moment. It stops you from being okay with who you are right now.

And yes, I know it’s easy for me to say this from the outside, watching someone else struggle. But I want to say it anyway: your worth does not shrink just because you feel insecure about your body. Feeling like you “should” look a certain way doesn’t define you - and if the people around you make it feel like it does, maybe it’s time to rethink who you’re letting in.

Even if it feels true, that feeling isn’t a fact. It’s just a thought - a story your mind has been telling itself, reinforced over time by social media, society, and subtle messages you’ve absorbed over the years. But it’s not who you really are. That insecurity doesn’t reflect your value; it reflects a belief you’ve been holding onto. So why not challenge that belief? Because I promise you, it’s not the truth.

I’m not saying those thoughts don’t hurt - they do. They’re heavy. But they still aren't the truth. Your worth doesn’t come from the mirror. It comes from your being, your humanity, your heart - and that will never, ever be less than enough.

I’m all for getting fitter, healthier, and taking care of yourself - it feels good, and it’s important to do it because you’re worth it, right? But if you’re doing it just because you think it will make people like you more, or make you feel “more worthy,” that’s not how it works. Your worth isn’t tied to how you look. And honestly, what you see in the mirror is probably very different from what everyone else sees - you’re way too hard on yourself. The people who truly matter will never measure your value by how you look or by any number on a scale. They care about you as a person.

Social media only makes it worse. Of course it does. I think it’s even harder for young people who’ve grown up with it - constantly bombarded with “perfect” images every single day. But a lot of those images aren’t real. They’re filtered, edited, photoshopped. No one is perfect. And maybe - just maybe - you’re already perfect exactly as you are, at least to the people who really matter. Those are the people you should be surrounding yourself with.

Body image pressure has always existed, and yes, it’s louder in some industries than others. But I want you to know, and believe, that you are enough, right now. Not because of a number, not because of a photo, not because of how “perfect” you think you need to be. Just enough because you are you. 🩷