I remember standing in front of the mirror after giving birth to each of my children. A look of disgust on my face as I stared at a body I no longer recognized. I acknowledged and was grateful for the blessing I was given, but at the same time felt like a part of me was gone. Poof. Just like that.
Sound familiar? Motherhood is beautiful but can often leave us feeling less than ourselves as our attention and time is demanded by our children. It took me a while to realize, but, 3 years after the birth of my last child, my New Year resolution each year was to love myself more. And it will also be my New Year resolution again this year. Give myself more grace. No more negative self talk. No more talking to myself in a way that I wouldn’t dare talk to my closest friends and family. I also wanted to be mindful of the example I was setting for my daughter. Do you have a New Year resolution?
Here are 3 ideas to help you along on your self love journey:
1-Be mindful of how you talk to yourself. Your self is listening.
No more negative self talk. Negative self talk only further embeds the self loathing thoughts in your mind. It’s a habit. You gotta break the habit. I challenge you to instead keep a journal. Write down 3 things, everday, that you love about yourself. Get yourself a cute little notebook or journal to make the process more fun.
2-Take time for yourself.
You can’t pour from an empty cup. You must care for yourself so that you can be the best version of yourself. For yourself, and for your family. However that looks for your, works. Praying, meditation, exercise, reading or pulling out your art supplies. Do something that lights your soul of fire and allows you to be with yourself. Shoot, even if it’s a bath. As a mother, I know what it’s like to only be able to lock yourself away from the world for a short period of time. A bath with your favorite essential oils and bath salts is a perfect way to fill up your cup. You can pray or meditate while you’re in there.
3-Book a transformation boudoir portrait session.
Talk about a brave and bold expression of self love! A boudoir portrait session is one way to love yourself as you are right now. Forget the extra weight, stretch marks, scars and perceived imperfections. Step into the women you are meant to be as you take a journey down the road of self love. A skilled photographer will be able to capture all your beauty, whether you think you’re photogenic or not. You will be made to feel amazing and sexy AF in your own skin, right now. The result is a feeling of confidence that you will carry with you long after the session is over. Read what others had to say about their boudoir experiences here.
Christine Roberts is a boudoir photographer based out of Mount Pleasant, TX.
