Every woman struggles with self-confidence and body acceptance at some point in life.
With all the pressure media can place on us to look perfect, it's easy to understand why women are often disappointed in the way their own bodies look.
For many women, being pregnant can be a time filled with even more self-consciousness. Your body is constantly changing and evolving from the moment you conceive. It can be hard to deal with a growing and expanding body, and it can be just as challenging to cope after the baby is born.
People expect women's bodies to "bounce back," but that's not what normally happens.
One mom, Olivia White, has been very vocal about struggling to accept her body after having kids. Recently, Olivia shared a photo that she initially "hated" because of how it made her stomach look.
Now, the "hated" photo is a source of power for Olivia.
[H/T: ScaryMommy]
On November 28, 2017, Olivia shared the above photo.
Within just two days, the picture had racked up over 3,100 likes.
Olivia wrote:
I didn’t post this photo while we were away because I hated how my stomach looked.
As much as I try to be self confident and be positive about my appearance, it’s not just a switch and one day you’re completely 110% okay with yourself.
It’s a daily thing, and you have good and bad days… But you can’t stop, especially when you have little eyes watching you.
You just need to keep reminding yourself everyday that you’re amazing no matter what anyone else or your own brain tries to trick you into thinking.
This is a beautiful moment between my daughter and I, a memory I want to treasure forever and nothing can ruin that.
A day later, Olivia shared an update, thanking her followers for their support. She wrote:
Wow. I am so overwhelmed by the response I had to my photo last night.
It’s amazing that what I saw and felt hindered my ability to put that photo out there, didn’t even register or matter to one single person here and especially not my daughter.
It just goes to show that in a world where we preach to people to be kind and never be a bully that we sadly are the bigger bullies to ourselves.
But how amazing are all of you with your kind words of support and encouragement.
I know it really is so much easier to tell someone else they're beautiful but gosh if only we could talk to ourselves the way we talk to one another, that would be bloody wonderful.
Olivia's fans had even more to say about how great she is.
One commented, "You are empowering so many women with your real honest feelings about your body."
And another woman said, "So very true. We should all practice speaking to ourselves with the positive tone we use with others. Just that pesky voice in our head that can be a real b!tch at times — and always directed at ourselves. Love your pics."
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