Bras, Body Image, and Self-Esteem

Yesterday I was on the web looking at a message board on health and beauty and I saw a message from a woman who was a 30A, nursing a new baby, and feeling insecure about her cup size. This I could understand – we all feel insecure from time to time.

What I could not understand was the way all those responding to her message decided the best way to help her feel good again was to trash women of larger cup size. Most of the trashing had to do with how larger cup sizes sag and look awful as women age.

Well, as a woman who is a 32D and not sagging at all, I was, needless to say, not amused. I wish we as women could learn to be happy with our bodies and not feel we have to trash others' shapes. All women's shapes are beautiful, just as all hair colors are beautiful.

So, let me take this opportunity to say again what I wrote on that board: This insecurity comes from within ourselves, from a fear that we are not good enough as we are, a fear played on by the media and cultural standards of beauty.

So what to do about our insecurities? In my experience, the quickest and most effective way to deal with body image problems is to remind yourself that you are beautiful the way you are. Yet, at the same time, allow yourself to feel insecure when those feelings arise. It takes more strength to fight the feelings of insecurity by reassuring yourself than it does to let them speak to you. The more you listen to them, while knowing that it's not real - just a feeling - the more you will understand what is triggering the insecurity, and the less of a problem it will be.

It's like crying out feelings of sadness. You may know the unhappy situation is resolved and all is well, but you still need to let yourself cry out the pain that was already there.

Try this out and let us know how it worked for you!