Curvy is beautiful, too!

Are you trying to reach a biologically impossible ideal?

Being bombarded with media images of the "ideal" (read thin) body shape, it is hard not to start believing there is only one type of beauty. One of the obvious problems with that is that most of us don't have bodies like the women who grace the covers of magazines. The natural comparisons, however, cause us to feel dissatisfied and down about our bodies and to pursue biologically impossible ideals we can never reach.

via

Your body is a masterpiece: strong, functional and uniquely beautiful!

I wanted to post some pictures of curvier women whom I think are beautiful to balance out the images that are probably thrown at you from tv, the movies, social media, and hollywood. Thin can be beautiful, and curvy can be beautiful, too. The important things is to learn to embrace and enjoy the body you were given. It is a complex masterpiece.

via

Take a look at each of these women and pay particular attention to what it is that makes them beautiful. Each one has features that are unique and lovely.

via

Any of you who watch the tv show Girls know that Lena Dunham has chosen to put her average girl body front and center on the screen. Though I could do without some of the nudity, I appreciate that she is showcasing a sense of comfort with her body and normalizing a more reasonable standard of what many women's bodies actually look like.

via

Mirror mirror on the wall...

Now take a look at yourself in the mirror and pick three things about your body that you are thankful for. Throughout the day, as you look in the mirror, or just go about your day, think about those features you like and express gratitude for them. We have spent enough time thinking about the thing we don't like; now is the time to think about what a beautiful creation we are.

via

via

via

Using Gratitude To Find Your Joy - Youtube Video
The Effects of Gratitude - Blog Post
How To Eat Mindfully - Youtube Video

If you are struggling and would like help, we have Houston, Texas Counselors who can meet with you. You can contact us 713 -591- 3612 or by email at Nancy @ wilsoncounseling. org. This blog is not intended to substitute for professional counseling.

Comments

Letting go of broken relationships

One of my Houston clients brought in this picture of a naked woman embracing a skeleton. She told me it had moved her deeply and spoke to her in a way that words could not. For this client, it was a visual depiction of a relationship she was holding onto with a man who could never really give her what she needed. When he would call her, she experienced a rush of happiness. But when he ignored her for days or weeks, she was forlorn and hopeless. She questioned herself and wondered why she was not more attractive to him. She was sure that if she were prettier, or smarter, or better in some way, he would be more interested. And she hated herself for not being able to just move on despite knowing the relationship was broken and lifeless. Seeing all of this depicted in this image communicated directly to her heart what was really going on. She was holding onto a man who was emotionally dead, unable to give back or love, or share in any satisfying way. She felt disgusted at t...

Life With A Narcissist

During the recent presidential election cycle, people threw around the term narcissist or narcissistic personality disorder a lot when talking about Donald Trump. Many articles were written and tweets tweeted about the subject. As a therapist, I know that I can not diagnose someone I have never examined, but the discussions did call to mind my clients who have partners that exhibit traits of narcissism or even full-blown narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)? NPD is a mental health diagnosis that is characterized by an unhealthy sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Many people have traits of narcissism, but very few, about 6.2% of the population, would meet diagnostic criteria for NPD. You can learn more about it from this nifty animated video: How does narcissism affect you in a relationship? I can recall one client, Cindy, who came to me feeling...

How To Support Someone Going Through Infertility

Guest Blog Post by Sarah Bradshaw ------------------------- For many women, trying to get pregnant is difficult, stressful, and painful Have you heard this story: woman meets someone, they fall in love, commit to one another, and then along comes a baby (or two or three)? Simple, right? For many women, having a baby is anything but simple. It can, in fact, be a difficult, stressful and potentially painful --both emotionally and physically--experience . Sometimes, the above stor y goes like this: woman meets someone, they fall in love , commit to one another, and then--nothing, absolutely nothing. The woman goes to see her do ctor to see if something is wrong . Sometimes , there's nothing wrong . The doctor says it’s just going to take more time (insert frown or angry face here) . S ometimes they get referred to a specialist. The referral is the start of a very bumpy and emotional ride. I know be cau se I have been there, and I know many other women who ha...

Wilson Counseling: The Armchair Chronicles

Search This Blog