Yes, I’m about 40 years old give or take. I spent most of my life very uncomfortable in my own body - always felt chubby, awkward, clumsy, and unattractive through most of my adolescence.

There came a point where I was so fucking sick of feeling like that and of having so many negative voices in my head screaming terrible things about myself constantly. That no matter what society taught me, no matter what people would think of me, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter nearly as much as what I thought about myself. And if I was happy with myself? Everyone could fuck off.

It took some years of playing with my outward appearance (drastic hair cuts, new thrifted clothes, picking up styles I really liked but felt too embarrassed to try before) and making positive self-thoughts a habit (and putting a lot of girl punk into my rotation) before I was more comfortable with living in this meat sack that is my body. These days I might have a bad body day here and there, but they don’t bother me as much.

I’ve gone through a lot of body changes in those years as well - a debilitating autoimmune disease and pregnancy/childbirth helped shift my view of my body. Made me realize how strong I am, that my body houses my soul, it heals itself, it helps me feel the cozy, warm, good things in the world.

Be gentle with yourself and know that you are good enough just the way you are right in this very moment.