Woman: Embracing the way we look
Mum of two, Jeni Whitley, aged 30 from West Bromwich, says we should all be happy in our own skin and accept ourselves just the way we are. . .
There is nothing I dread more than those awful ‘Fat Days’. It is inevitable that at least once or twice a month they turn up, looming over me like a dark, bleak winter’s day.
They drag me down, kicking and screaming mainly because when I do end up looking in the mirror, what my mind sees leaves me feeling as if I look like a splodge. I’m also certain this resonates with a good majority of the female population nowadays.
I used to think that on these particular days, I was the size of my semi-detached house (including the garage) and I was unsightly to every human being (and perhaps even the cat?!) that I’d be forced to go into hiding.
No-one but my husband and children can see me in this vulnerable state. No-one.
This abominable regime continued for around 20 years of my life. Until last weekend. Somthing changed. . .
Maybe it’s age? Perhaps I’m approaching that time of my life where acceptance has finally embedded itself deep in my brain.
Or, perhaps it’s just that I can see things differently these days.
We all have stories to tell about our lives. Astonishing tales of both joy and pain.
People exist in situations which can make us see things differently. Children or no kids, married or single, there are so many social set ups.
But I finally feel like I don’t need to conform to demands placed on women today.
Years ago I longed for thicker, curlier hair convinced that it would make me feel more appealing, more sexy, and less ‘mumsy’. “How wrong I was. After spending a fortune on micro-ring hair extensions (and then having to have them out just two weeks later) the penny dropped: We are all beautiful and pretty in our own way.
My skin isn’t silky. My hair isn’t glossy. Hey, I’m five stone overweight!
Step aside ‘Fat Day’ because this woman has just found her equilibrium in life. We’re no models. We’re no ‘picture perfect’ people. And we’re definitely not like real-life Barbies! But, we are all sexy, strong females with a barrier to break. ‘Fat Day’? No thank-you. It’s been renamed, Embrace Day. Embracing our bodies, our kids and our lives. Take a look, you’ll be amazed at what you see staring back. . .
