Insecurities are an interesting thing. Just the other day, it popped into my head that one of the things I wish I could change about myself was absolutely ridiculous. Frankly, a year ago, I didn’t even know that there was even an “issue” with that part of my body.
What am I referring to? Hip dips. Yeah… what? If you are unaware of what hip dips are like I was, essentially, they are a lack of a complete curve in your hips. Instead, there’s an indentation where your thigh meets your hip.
It doesn’t seem like a big deal, right? Right. In the grand scheme of things, it isn’t. Like I said, I didn’t even know this was a thing… until one day, I was scrolling through Pinterest and found an infographic explaining what it was and how to fix it. And hence, began a body complaint.
But that’s the thing about insecurities. Often, you don’t know that there’s something “wrong” with you until it’s brought to your attention. Chances are that you were going about your life relatively fine until it was presented to you in whatever fashion that you could or should look or be a certain way.
I want to be clear, however, that these outside opinions or expectations are not to blame. Even though these ideas may have been introduced to us, it is we who allow them to sink in and cause us to dislike ourselves.
Given my interest in fitness, I understand the desire of wanting to improve one’s self and being inspired by how others look. It is something that I experience often, and even seek out when in need of motivation. However, as someone who has suffered from low self-esteem and overall body hate, I can say that this was all done at my own hands.
Even with the odd comment here or there, how I felt about myself was always within my control. I chose to believe these comments or feel helpless in changing an aspect of myself. Now that I am older, I understand the concept that no one can make you feel a certain way without you allowing them to. I also recognize that believing the negativity is always easier, which does make it difficult to overcome something as insidious as an insecurity.
The truth is, though, that it is within our power to do so.
With love,
Marisol
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