I asked women of all ages, via social media, to share a few words that people had used to negatively describe them. The responses were absolutely disheartening to read. Among them were words and phrases such as slut, weak, fat and not worth it. Women are surrounded by this type of mentality every day and it sets forth a negative mindset in our everyday lives. It is easy to brush things people say away, but you will never forget the way that those words made you feel.
Words carry enormous weight, and we often forget that when we speak to people, or even of people. In a fit of rage or behind someone’s back, it is easy to say the most hurtful things just because you don’t expect the person you’re talking about to hear it. Little do we realize that word travels fast and the pain can last a lifetime. More times than not, derogatory things said toward women come from the mouths of other women. We spend a vast amount of time supporting ladies as a whole, but we spend an equal amount of time tearing each other down as individuals.
Behind the mindset that comes with spreading negativity, there is also a portion that is fed into by social media. Unfortunately, social media has rewired our brains to think a certain way about ourselves. Looking in the mirror, our confidence lowers when we don’t see our bodies to be the same as the models we see on Instagram. Seeing and hearing that our bodies aren’t like theirs leads us to truly believe that there is truly something wrong about us.
Courtesy of: Madisen
Sticks and stones may break our bones and those bones will heal, but words can always leave us feeling pain that we wish we had never experienced. As I said, we will always remember the way words make us feel, but those feelings don’t need to be negative! Think of the way you felt when someone complimented an outfit that you may not have been sure about; you remember that instance because it made you feel strong and confident. Kindness falls like the domino effect. If you share a kind word with someone, they are more likely to go on with their day and compliment someone else. Studies also show that complimenting someone and seeing a smile on their face, puts you in a positive mood. It’s simply a win-win!
Along with asking these ladies to share negative comments directed toward them, I also asked them to share some positivity that has been sent their way. Independent, empathetic, determined, fierce, these are only a few. These are the type of words we need to be sharing with each other! Women supporting other women, that is one of the most powerful pieces of kindness we can give to one another. So, ladies, I challenge you to take a few moments out of your day to not only share some positivity with someone else but also with yourself.