Let's talk about self image and learning how to embrace your individual beauty without comparing yourself to those around you.
Okay so... tomorrow morning I will be stepping in front of the camera for my very first branding/headshot session with another professional photographer. I'm a professional photographer, right? I know all the things; the prompts, the process, the poses, the lighting, etc. But... I AM NERVOUS AS HELL. Why? Because I am most comfortable BEHIND my lens, not in front of it. But, in order to practice what I preach, I need to walk the walk. A good photographer steps out of their comfort zone and puts themselves in their client's shoes, in order to best relate and connect with them.
Just like many of you, I am super self conscious of certain things. Like my belly and the space between my teeth when I smile too big. Sounds crazy to you, doesn't it? That is exactly how you sound to a photographer when you pick yourself apart while ya'll discuss your session or are mid-session. We tend to look at the next woman and envy her figure, her skin tone, her hair, her smile, etc. But guess what? That woman, too, has insecurities that we know nothing about. And if that woman spoke them to you, you'd call them crazy, right? Because you don't see it! LADIES! We need to do better, be better at loving ourselves the way we love others.
We are beautiful. We are sexy. We are desirable.
And we are all of these things because we are UNIQUE.
I chose this as today's topic because I am seeing a lot of women express how nervous or reluctant they are to do a session, followed by, "I won't look as good as her" or "my photos won't be as sexy" or "I don't do sexy." Hearing comments like these tells me that I need to do my job better and voice my own insecurities, be vulnerable, and open up to let you know that feeling insecure is natural, but it is ultimately YOUR choice to slap that negative voice off your shoulder that says "I'm not" and replace it with the voice that says "I AM!" So, let's practice the following: every single time you catch yourself judging yourself or speaking negatively about yourself, think of 3 positive things about yourself and write them down. Every. Single. Time. "A change in bad habits leads to a change in life." -Jenny Craig
Repeat after me: I. AM. BEAUTIFUL. BECAUSE. I. AM. ME!
Love & Light,
Jessica
The Candid Beauty
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