How I Used Social Media To Help Me Learn To Love My Body

Saying social media and body positivity in the same sentence seems like an oxymoron, I know!

When most people log on to their favorite platforms they are flooded with images of picture-perfect "inta baddies". You know those girls who have the "perfect" body and perfect hair. You can scroll for hours and find thousands of these pictures of women who look nothing like you.

Recent studies have shown that poor self-image and depression can be a result of what we see on social media.

But what if social media doesn't have to make you feel bad about yourself?

I decided that 2019 was going to be the year I started loving my body. I had no idea how I was going to make that happen. It's not like I had a great track record of liking what I saw in the mirror.

One day I was scrolling through Pinterest looking for outfit inspiration before a shopping trip with my friend, but by the end of my brainstorming I wasn't inspired, I felt defeated.

I looked at pin after pin of adorable summer outfit ideas and the entire time these thoughts kept popping into my head;

"My legs will look even bigger in that cut."

"My arms are too fat to pull that shirt off."

"Why are crop tops a thing?!"

"I love that outfit but I would never look good in it."

Later that day when we went shopping, I didn't try on a single thing because I was already so in my own head about how I looked.

I knew then, I never wanted to feel that way about myself again. So I decided to make a change in how I saw myself. I know I am, nor will I ever be, a "straight-sized" girl. But that doesn't mean I don't deserve to love myself just the way I am!

It didn't happen overnight but here is how I used social media to help me learn to love my body

1. Instagram

I LOVE Instagram! Who doesn't?! But just like I mentioned in the into, it can be a really hard place for plus-sized women to feel like part of the community when we don't look like most Instagram models. 

I decided to give my feed an overhaul by finding and following other plus size women who have the whole love yo self thing down. I still follow straight-sized influencers but now when I am scrolling through my feed, I see all kinds of full-figured beauties who my body matches better. 

Some of my favorites are;

curvyandcurrent

ioana_fit

sarahhrae

2. Pinterest

Pinterest is another place I could spend hours looking at all the things! It is also one of the most important social media platforms that boost my self-image. Before I would pin all kinds of outfits on stright sized women and then try and find the same pieces in something that will fit my body type. Life got much easier when I started searching for plus-sized outfits. Now they only fashion inspo you will see pinned on my boards are those for fuller figures. 

One of the things I love most about Pinterest is that the more you search something the more it pops up in your browse section. Pinterest is so used to me looking for plus size clothes that I see very few non-full figure options pop up on my browse. 

It is so nice to just pull up the app and I already have a flood of beautiful women who represent me.

3. Facebook

 One of the main things that have helped me embrace my natural curves is support. I am very lucky to have an amazing husband and friends who encourage me to love myself just how I am. But I know not everyone has that support in their life.

Facebook can be a great place to find the community you are looking for. If you have never joined a facebook group, I highly suggest you find some that help you embrace your full-figured self.

When you find one, you can share your own personal highs and lows around your self-image as well as get perspective from others just like you. It can be a huge help in being able to talk to others who know how you feel.

4. YouTube

I am not really sure if you can consider YouTube a social media or not but I am going to...cause I can! 

I love YouTube, I watch more YouTube videos than I do normal tv. It's probably one of those things that you either love or not but if you are a fellow YouTube watcher, check out all of the wonderful plus size YouTubers! 

Again, why watch a try on haul if the person is a size 2 and you are size 22? 

Finding others who embrace their bodies and how they dress can be a huge help when you are learning to love your body. 

You can find everything from plus size try on hauls to videos on tips on how to help pick out flattering clothes. Other videos I love to watch are when YouTubers do try-on hauls from stores you wouldn't think have clothes to fit you, especially online shopping. 

Before I do any online shopping I check to see if there are any plus size YouTubers who have done reviews on the store so I can have an idea of what to expect or items to try out. 

No matter where you are in your journey, please believe me when I say you deserve to love the body you are in and it does get easier! 

I hope this post helped you learn how to use social media to help on your self-love journey! 

Remember, don't let social media tell you how you should see yourself, tell social media what you want to see!