At the age of 13 I was like 5'9" weighing in at 135 pounds. You might say, OMG! You were a big kid. Not true. I was a tall stick. I grew one more inch and remained the same weight until I was 21 years old. I hated being skinny! So when I put on 20 pounds in college...I was PUMPED! I loved having weight on me. I felt wonderful with my new weight. And I loved lifting weights, so when the phrase "strong is the new skinny" it resonated with me. My genetics makes me thin by nature. It's just how I am. I don't have to exercise and I don't have to give a shit about my nutrition to keep skinny. It's true. Trust me, I am not bragging. To be honest, I really dislike being a bean pole. I love being strong. It makes me feel bad ass. And naturally, lifting weights makes increases my caloric needs.
When the most recent phrase "strong is the new beautiful" was spreading, like most women that worked out, I embraced it. I thought, "Hell yeah! Skinny is stupid! Being strong is so much better for women to focus on!" I love to lift weights and train. Lifting has always made me feel strong and beautiful. So, naturally I embraced the phrase.
Lately, I'm noticing a lot of insecure women. It is everywhere! No matter if they lifted or not. It got me thinking the phrase "strong is the new beautiful" isn't really fair. Why does only one adjective describe beauty? Why have so many people jumped on this bandwagon? Why do so many women judge one another based on a one word description? I'm not saying that strong isn't beautiful, but it is so isolating and judgmental. What defines beauty for one woman may not hold true for another. In this day and age, women are subjected to so much scrutiny for their looks that it is down right disgusting. We are all beautiful. Every single one of us is beautiful, and it is our uniqueness that makes it so.
I am sure there are a million blogs out there that say the same thing. I don't know. I don't care. I just want every woman to know that she is beautiful. Because I struggle with the same insecurities day in and day out. Advertising, T.V., and social media are really good at convincing us that we are not good enough, smart enough, creative enough, beautiful enough, and that we shouldn't dare to be great. They make it seem as though you have to almost be born that way. But it is not true. Do not buy what they are selling. It is bullshit! You are worthy!
You are beautiful. You are smart. You are a leader. You are creative. You are strong. You are whatever the fuck you want to be! Strong isn't the new beautiful. Just like Strong isn't the new skinny. YOU are what is beautiful. Insert your own adjective into the beauty you see in yourself. Become whatever you want to be, and know that whatever it is...you are beautiful.
I'll help. Here are a list of adjectives to choose from.
- Tall
- Short
- Fat
- Muscular
- Bold
- Brave
- Creative
- Athletic
- Smart
- Funny
Why do we have to be crammed into one particular mold to be considered beautiful? We are individuals with different and unique qualities. Why do we need to be the same? That would make us boring and ordinary. Being different allows us to stand out. Being different gives us permission to be anything but mediocre. With our uniqueness, we have the opportunity to shine bright and let the world see that our individual differences make us beautiful.
Don't get me wrong, if that motto works for you...and helps you stay motivated to become a better version of yourself...use it. But just know that that is not the end all of what is beautiful in this world. Continue to be who you are and stay inspired with the fact that as long as you own your uniqueness and grow and develop into the definition of woman you want to be...that is beautiful.
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