As I mentioned in last week's post, Radical Self-Care to me means going above and beyond the usual things I do to care for myself and a huge thing for me this month is to change the way I look at myself. Inside and outside. To speak to myself in a more positive way, to look in the mirror more often and actually LOOK at myself.
To that end I have been taking a selfie each day. Sometimes I post them on Instagram, other times I just keep them on my phone. Most days I take a picture of myself with one or both of the girls. I am noticing a difference in myself between my alone pictures or with them.
When I am turning the phone on just me I am more self conscious about how I look, how is my head tilted? Am I looking in the phone or not? Do I look crazy? When I take a picture with the girls I am looking at them and the pictures come out more relaxed and I can tell!
I am not taking selfies as a way to say "Hey! Look at me!" (the reason why I'm not sharing them ALL on Instagram) but rather as a way to practice self-love. As a way to get to know myself and feel comfortable being me.
Last week I came across a post on Facebook containing a link to a blog post about selfies. I nodded my head as I read it, most especially at these lines:
Selfies are a way of saying, “I love myself, and I will fight anyone who tries to change that fact.”
Selfies are not a question. They’re not asking “Do you think I’m pretty?”
Selfies are a statement: “I am here.”
I see you.
I love you.
You matter.
That is why I am taking them this month.
It's helping too, this whole Radical Self-Care thing! I can feel a shift happening in the way I talk to myself and how I give myself encouragement with the different creative ideas I have. I am beginning to trust in my abilities to carry through on my thoughts and dreams. And it is freeing and liberating and I am much more content going through my days.
It feels very weird to pick up the phone and snap a picture of myself. But I am doing it more. When I feel happy, content, joyful, at peace, stressed out, anxious, unsettled. It feels good to take a picture of myself and look at it and think, "She's good. She is worthy of time and respect. She has value as a person and as a woman. She looks tired and anxious, give her space and time to be."
I am practicing talking to myself the way I would talk to a friend who needs lifting up and encouragement. Taking selfies is a weird for me way to go about it, but it is working so I will continue!
This is awesome! So happy for you.
ReplyDeleteI think what struck me the most was the difference you found in taking selfies on your own, and with your girls. Very interesting.
Hello Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for taking a picture each day. For years I never had my photo taken, and while I still don't love it, I'm trying to be in front of the camera a little more..and even posting them [a big thing for me].
When I was a junior in high school I finally got fed up with hearing my friends talk down about themselves every day. "I'm so fat. I'm so ugly. I hate my hair/eyes/skin/etc." One of my friends and I began to tell each other--and ourselves--we were beautiful. I get so annoyed hearing people--women--talk down about themselves. In high school I couldn't tell if girls were saying it to try to get a compliment, or because they really hated how they looked, or both. But it's pervasive, that talk, and changing it really does have to start with us. Good luck on this journey of yours!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful practice.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love how you put that Selfies are not a question, but a statement. That is a game changer.
so happy to see you! Beautiful!
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