Body confidence

Well hi! I haven't written one of these things in aaaaageeeeesssss.

Why? Laziness is definitely a factor. Feeling unmotived with the current state of things (which I am not going to dwell on- at least not in this post- because we've heard ENOUGH of COVID-19 as it continues to take over our lives) and when motivation fails- inspiration is hard to come by and determination takes a hit.

So yeah, periroberts.com has been blog-less for about 4 months. Life gets tangled. We lose space in time, old habits die hard & the definition of "real-life rollercoaster" hits a little harder this year... stressed knees, getting mugged, becoming 2nd in the world, having to quarantine forEVER just to name a few (more on my emotional rollercoaster of a year, later).

But the point is- sh*t happens. That's okay... life's balance will soon prevail and eventually, motivation (for things such as writing this blog post) will strike again.

So let me take you on a journey to my Instagram a week or so back...

I posted this photo:

....and yeah, maybe it wasn't for the right reasons, but hey, everyone gets a bit selfish every now and then. So it attracted this:

Was I prepared for the backlash? Nope.

Did I cop it? Absolutely

Was I going to let it slide without creating awareness on not only what I was feeling but a whole world of conversations WE. NEED. TO. BE. HAVING. ABOUT. BODY. CONFIDENCE?

Hell NO I wasn't.

So I came back with this:

I had conversations with the people involved in that initial picture, and one thing we agreed on was that this topic was way bigger than all of us and our booty pics and our controversial captions.

Which brings me to...

A blog about Body Confidence.

This day in age, everything we do and say, say's something about us. My mum has drilled that into me since I can remember. There is always someone watching and listening to what you do. So watch yourself, and be prepared to accept the consequences of your actions- the good, the bad & the ugly.

With everything so public these days, it's hard to slip up without someone noticing. It's hard to be controversial without copping it. It's hard to be you- ANY version of you- because someone is always going to have something to say.

Body confidence- and confidence at that, get's thrown around all the time. Sometimes it has an uplifting and positive back story, but sometimes it's fueled by notions such as "thirsty" or "attention-seeking".

Growing up, I was always pretty healthy. I've always been active and fit and quite muscly. But because I have a genetically strong build (thanks mum and dad) and not to mention I was quite short- I always felt like I needed to slim down- my legs, my arms & my tummy.

I actually remember in high school one of my friends told me while we were changing for P.E that I had a "boy's body" because I had a 'v-line' on my lower abs, and hearing from a boy that my butt would look better if it was "less muscly".

Even someone as active and healthy as me can still get shamed. It wasn't until a short time ago that I honestly accepted I would never be the skinny, girly-body type I wanted so badly like some of my friends. My body type will not allow that. I also can't eat food will-nilly without paying for it like a lot of my peers are able to do. So I work hard for what I've got. It doesn't come naturally. But then again- anything worth the work doesn't come easy.

And you know what? I love sharing my achievements because I'm proud of what I've gone through and the effort I've put in to get where I am today.

However this is my story, and it's not a "one size fits all" type of conversation. .Body confidence comes in all shapes and sizes; and no matter where you are or what you're doing, someone is always going to have something to say. Whether you're being fat-shamed, boy-shamed, skinny-shamed, shamed for being too confident, or putting attention-seeking images up of yourself- don't let it get to you.

Don't be afraid of not conforming to society's normality of what is right. Right and wrong should be deciphered by you. Do what you feel is right for you at the time and don't second guess your actions based on anyone else's opinions. It can take a long time to love yourself, but it is SO necessary because you've got you for the long haul.

So let me set the record straight:

Confidence is beautiful. If you have it, keep doing what you're doing & don't let anyone take that away from you, whether its nasty comments from either sex, jealousy or dislike. Be proud of who you are! You're unique and that's what is important.

Your body allows you to do so many amazing things. Your body is your vessel, so worship it with everything you've got.

If you work hard for something and you want to show it off- hell yeah.

If you're feeling yourself and you want to put that out there- go for it.

If you're happy with how you look and don't feel the need to justify it- then go quietly and be true to you...

But the point is- do what is right for you and you only. Don't conform to society's rules if that's what you're about.

Why am I writing this blog? Because my initial post on Instagram helped someone. Just a stranger. Just someone needing to hear it. Maybe this blog will help someone too.

Now go and drink a big glass of water, put Beyonce on repeat and go and conquer the damn World... at least that's what I feel like doing after writing this.

Let's talk about sh*t that matters.

Love Pez xx