ZOOM OUT. LOOK AT THE ENTIRE PHOTO.
How many times have you looked at a photo of yourself and literally zoomed right in on the photo to look at all the bits of you you don’t like? Really picked yourself apart, especially now with digital images where we can actually zoom in on all the photos we have on our phones.
I know I have done this many times myself in the past!
Here’s the thing though... Do you do the same when you look at photos of other people? Are you zooming in on your Mum or sister and telling them they look awful? How about your kids? Your friends? No.. I didn’t think so!
The truth is, those closest to you don’t see you the same way you see yourself. They just want to be in the picture with you. Don’t you love looking back at old photos of your children? It’s heart-wrenching to think that we often miss out on capturing these moments because we don’t like the way we look. I don’t have many photos with my son when he was younger. Partly because I was usually the one behind the camera taking the photos, but also because back then I really didn’t like seeing photos of myself at all!
It’s time to be kinder to ourselves. Speak to yourself with the same compassion you’d offer to a close friend or family member. It’s easier said than done, but it’s worth it I promise.
I’ve done a lot of work on my own body image over the last few years, and the best advice I learnt, and what I try to tell as many people as I can is this.. Zoom right out!
Zoom out, look at the entire photo, remember how blue the sky looked, or the way the gentle breeze felt as it played with your hair. Remember the conversations you were having with others around you. Remember the laughter and the joy you were sharing with your kids. Remember how amazing your outfit felt. Remember how good that squeezy hug from someone special was. Zoom out. Remember the whole moment.
People often ask if I can Photoshop them to look thinner, or get rid of their double chin. The short answer is No. I think you look amazing just as you are! You don’t need to be Photoshopped to look like a different version of yourself... Your kids wont recognise you! My rule of thumb is to only remove things like bruises, spots, or other temporary blemishes, but never to change your body shape or size.
Embrace your photos, just as you are. Love them because of the precious memories of wonderful moments that have been captured.
