This past tuesday (October 26) Stacy Nadeau, a model from Dove’s Real Beauty ad campaign, visited campus to speak about body confidence. For those of you who missed it or weren’t able to go, here are some of her main pointers for feeling ~swaggy~ in your own skin.
Ignore the media because it is all lies.
I know what you’re thinking: Easier said than done. But try to keep in mind, every image you see of models or actors has probably been photoshopped to death. Next time you notice yourself wishing you looked more like Gigi Hadid, just remember that you would look dope too if you spent ten hours preparing for a photoshoot with professional hair and makeup artists.
It’s okay to Treat Yo Self.
While it’s important to take care of your body and keep it #healthy, it’s good to treat yourself every once and awhile! So go ahead, order dessert at Ibby’s, you do you! There’s no need to feel guilty every time you give in to temptation.
Talk to yourself like you would your friends.
Do you ever stop to think what would happen if we were as critical of our friends’ bodies as we are of our own? The answer is: you would have no friends. Try to be nice to yourself, you deserve it!
Stop Girlfriend Poker.
We’ve all been there; You’re hanging out with a group of girlfriends, and one of them starts complaining about her body. Suddenly, everyone starts arguing over who’s fattest/ugliest. Stacy calls this “girlfriend poker,” when we try to one up each other with our list of physical imperfections. It’s just like that scene in Mean Girls when Regina Gretchen and Karen complain about absurdly specific body parts. If Tina Fey has taught us anything, it’s that we should NOT be trying to emulate the Plastics.
Remember change takes time.
While it’s easy to make the decision to #loveyourself, it takes time and effort to change these long ingrained habits of self hate. Don’t get frustrated if you find yourself going against your new resolution to feel fab. Body acceptance is a process, so try to be patient and you will get there!
GIFS via giphy.com.