Bulletin Board Post

Feelings

Hate To See Old Photos

<div class="ExternalClassF3F0D1554B824FA780214C6AB7343F64">Hey everyone this is my first time writing to you and I hope I don't sound to ridiculous. I'm trying to lose weight and I've been doing good but when I see past photos I hate them. I still feel like I'm really fat . And I feel like no matter how much weight I lose I can't be completely happy because of the way I looked back then . I don't know if anybody else has this problem but I would like some advice that might make me feel a little better about my problem. Write back soon. Please and thanks. </div>

<div class="ExternalClass019FBE174499414C9EF3312518A8F81D">We’re so glad that you’re reaching out to talk about the feelings you’re having. It can be so difficult to have a positive body image in a society that places undue value on unrealistic beauty standards. It’s understandable that you struggle with accepting and loving your body, as so many do in our culture. It sounds like this issue has caused you a lot of emotional pain, and you are finding it hard to let go of feelings of shame. It takes a lot of courage to reach out to talk about such difficult thoughts, and we’re so glad to be able to support you. Each of us is unique, with different genetic components that create a mosaic of people of all different shapes. There is beauty in each of these distinct and unique individuals, and there is no one definition of what is beautiful. We are surrounded by advertisements, movies, TV, and cultural pressures that send the message that the most important thing a female can be is thin, but this is so far from true. Unlearning this damaging thought process is hard, but you deserve to accept and love yourself for exactly who you are. Try to think of 3 physical attributes you possess that you admire, and 5 qualities you possess that you admire. The last five might be things such as being a caring person, or a good friend, or a hard worker, or an excellent athlete. There is so much more to who you are as a person than your weight. The qualities that cause us to find a person beautiful for a length of time, in a meaningful way, are the special qualities of their spirit. Make a list of the attributes you identify, and tape it to your mirror to remind yourself of in the mornings. We hope that this is helpful to you, because you truly do deserve to feel you are unique, strong, and beautiful for the person you are. We strongly encourage you to reach out to us further to speak directly to a counselor. Often times, speaking these thoughts out loud and hearing another’s response can help to open up new and more positive ways of thinking. Thank you so much for taking this step for yourself. You are not alone! We hope you reach out for more support! Sincerely, Shannon, Counselor </div>

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