I talk to women about their bodies all day long. In the process, I hear a recurring comment: “He (or she) really loves my body.” OK, but do you really love your body? I get it. I’ve struggled with this too. I’m in a new relationship and sometimes I feel like he loves my curves more than I do. It’s a wake-up call that has reminded me of all of the times I’ve relied on a man’s opinion of my body as a substitute for my own confidence. The truth is, many of us fall into a mentality where we feel almost lucky that our partner finds us desirable. We feel as if we aren’t worthy of love because we’re not the size society deems acceptable. We feel flawed because we’re not the size 2 to 8 that mainstream media celebrates. That’s a very dangerous road to walk. Of course it’s human nature to seek out acceptance, but self-acceptance based on a partner’s opinion can be toxic. It’s temporary and not rooted in your own sense of self-worth. The power is completely in someone else’s hands. You deserve to take up space and feel sexy and confident about yourself. You
