Imagine hearing someone say this to a young girl—or even saying it yourself:
“Yuk, you’re disgusting.
Your thighs are too wobbly.
You have too much cellulite.
Your legs are too short—or too long.
Your arms are too hairy.
Your stomach is too big and round; you shouldn’t be wearing a swimsuit.
Bikinis aren’t for fat girls—wear a t-shirt.
Look at the other girls—they look so good in their bikinis. You don’t look like that.
Dress for your size. Boys like girls with slim bodies.”
You’d be outraged, right? You’d want to protect that little girl. You’d want to shout: “No. That’s not true. You are beautiful. Your body doesn’t define your worth. You are more than a number, a shape, or a size. SHE IS BEAUTIFUL—exactly as she is.”
And yet, how often do we say these very things to ourselves? Just small, “off-handed” comments as we stand in front of the mirror, try on a new outfit, or sit on the beach. We all have. We compare ourselves to others. We tell ourselves we can’t measure up, that we’re not enough. Imagine the impact of that constant internal voice—how it chips away at confidence, plants doubt, and convinces us of lies we’d never tell a child.
Stop it. Seriously. I’m begging you.
You can tone up. You can build muscle. You can lose weight. You can pursue a body that makes you proud. But don’t—ever—talk to yourself as though you’re unworthy of love right now. Your body is worthy. You are worthy. Nothing is stopping that truth except the thoughts in your head. If you wouldn’t allow someone to speak like that to a little girl, or your daughter, then you mustn’t allow yourself to hear it either.
We are our thoughts. We are our thoughts. The next time that inner critic starts to speak, imagine her there—the little girl inside of you—and tell her what you would tell a stranger, or your own daughter. She deserves to hear it. She needs to hear it.
