The Media's Influence On Our Girls

A friend recently shared this video with me. I'm not promoting Dove products, but this made me think seriously about the impact our culture and media have on young girls and women. I went through years of self-esteem issues related to my body image. It wasn't until after having babies that I really started to accept myself and my body as I am. What are we doing to build our girls up?

Celebrating Our Glorious Goddess Bodies

"Studies show that over half of all girls are unhappy with their bodies by the age of thirteen."

I believe it. I was one of those girls, and it has taken me years to learn to love and accept myself as I am. Interestingly, it was through motherhood that I came to honor and respect my body. It was a gradual process, part of my birth transformation. As I learned to embrace my body's ability to birth a baby without medical intervention, I came to see my body as a beautiful thing, made to create, nurture and love. The soft curves of my body are comforting to my children, who love to nestle in my lap and snuggle.

Having a baby girl has helped too. I look at my beautiful little girl and everything about her is lovely. She's 2 years old and she is all girl and it's a blessed thing, especially with 4 brothers! I look at her and think of the amazing things she will be and do in her life, and many of those things will be her privilege because she is a daughter of God. If she at age 2 is so lovely then I am lovely as well, just for being her mother. I want to be the best example I can be, and I want her to have more understanding of her inner and outer beauty than I did as a child. This helps me embrace myself as a woman and a mother, and it encourages me to strive to be better for her.

I believe every girl has the potential to be a goddess, and part of that is embracing ourselves for who we are and loving our spirits and our bodies.

I like this article in the way it encourages women to appreciate themselves, imperfections and all, and learn to love the goddesses they are.

Celebrating Our Glorious Goddess Bodies