I'm no Scarlett Johannson, but...

I was sweating it out on the elliptical machine yesterday when the girl next to me was getting off, so I borrowed her copy of Glamour Magazine to pass the time (and to keep me from being obsessive about watching the clock). I looked at the cover and saw a red-headed and always gorgeous Scarlett Johannson.




As I looked over the cover, it occured to me that Scarlett's hair color, which was stunning on her, was eerily similar to my new red-tinted do, which I haven't been crazy about since I made the switch to go darker. I have been obsessing about it being too red, too dark, or not right for my skin color. I have waited on people to mention it, so I could explain that it wasn't exactly the look I was going for and have contemplated going back to the salon to get it redone more brown and less red.

It got me to thinking...as women, why are we so hard on ourselves but so much more accepting of others? As I looked at Scarlett's picture on the front, I thought..."Look how great she looks with red hair! Good for her to try something different and pull it off." But, when I look at my own hair, I think..."Oh my God! What was I thinking? This color is hideous on me and makes me look like a freak." Why can't I cut myself some slack and accept myself as just as gorgeous as Scarlett? I guess it comes down to self-esteem.

As I thumbed through the rest of the mag, I came across this photo:



(you can read the entire article here: www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/2009/08/what-everyone-but-you-sees-about-your-body)

This picture is of size 12 plus size model, Liz Miller. Glamour has decided to start featuring more plus sized models in their upcoming issues in order to have a more diverse showing in their magazines. What strikes me the most about this photo is how comfortable she seems in her own skin. She is not only gorgeous, but confident and happy with herself, just as she is. And she is my size. Her belly looks like mine, her arms look like mine, and she has a little pudge when she crosses her legs, just like mine. So, why do I consider her body beautiful and my own overweight, fat, and disgusting? Is it because she IS more confident and therefore, more happy with herself? Or is it because she has accepted herself for just as she is, where confidence begins?

The editor noted in the November issue that they had so many responses to this photo that they did a follow-up article featuring multiple nude plus size models. (http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2009/10/these-bodies-are-beautiful-at-every-size). She said that one mother wrote in to say that when her daughter saw the photo, she said "Mama, she looks just like you...beautiful." Doesn't that just melt your heart? The editor spoke to the thoughts I had previously ~ about how we as women, can be so hard on ourselves, while others see the beauty in us that we can't see in ourselves. Also, how we can accept others and their flaws as positives, but are so negative about ourselves.

It is time as women, that we begin to accept ourselves and each other for how we are, how the good Lord created us, and to stop being so hard on ourselves, creating negative body images, bad self-esteem, and overall unhappiness in our lives. For the sake of our daughters, our nieces, our sisters, and all the young ladies that we come in contact with. We are the ones they learn from and if we can learn to love and accept ourselves just as we are, then they can too.

To continue in this spirit, the editor challenged Glamour readers to send in comments about their bodies, but they could only be positive statements. No negativity accepted. So, I began to wonder what my friends, my family members, and my blog readers (all four of you!) would say if you could tell me one reason why you love your body and yourselves? Come on and play this game with me...how are you proud of your body or what do you love about yourself?

For me, I love that I am strong enough to lift my son up in my arms and I'm soft enough to rock him to sleep at night. I love that my eyes are the same color as my brother's, my mom's, and my dad's, reminding me that I'm part of a strong family and our ties run deep. And, I love when people tell me that I favor my mom, because I think she is one of the prettiest women in this world and I would be happy to age as gracefully as she has.

What about you? What do you love about your body? As women, may we strive to think positively about ourselves and cut us and each other a little slack.