Body Image

 Body Insecurity 

Always remember " You don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart".

Many people have concerns about their body image. These concerns often focus on weight, skin, hair, or the shape or size of a certain body part. Body image refers to a person’s emotional attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of their own body. 

Well today I'll be sharing my body insecurity journey in three parts: first childhood, second teenage and third (Present) where I'm legal enough to drive a vehicle.

A Childhood Experience 

As a child it is obvious that you don't know what insecurity is, so I didn't know what the term or definition of insecurity is. During childhood we all were naive and innocent, sometimes we knew that people were talking ill about our body features but we didn't take it seriously because we were too young to understand. What I remember about my childhood is that I was a free soul who didn't bother about things happening around, I was laughing, playing and enjoying. I remember my thin body image. 

When I was around 7-8 years old people started questioning me "why don't you eat something?" "Your mother doesn't give you food or what?" "why don't you drink milk, we can see through your bones". So, what did I do about these unsolicited opinions? Nothing, yes nothing because I wanted to go to the park to play, remember I was a child so it didn't bother me. 

Teenage Experience 

This was the age where my experience wasn't the same as my childhood. Teenager me was still unbothered but I still felt somewhere that people calling out my body wasn't good. As a teenage boy I was called out as a stickman, skeleton, malnourished and what not. Everyday I started thinking about my body. Body shaming started by those nasty teenagers in my school, once I was pushed and was called out that I'm like air there's nothing inside my body, they were really bad at science probably. 

At family functions or gatherings my own family tried to tell me how much I should eat and gain weight even though I used to eat a lot I never gained weight which is due to my faster metabolism. Some said drink smoothies add this, that and all sorts of suggestions. I tried all of their suggestions but never helped. It broke me somewhere that why I can't be normal when I was normal but didn't realise. 

Some said joining the gym was never an option for me because I already used to wake up in the morning and go to the park for walking, jogging or some exercise. Even while jogging I got stares like why I'm doing it. I'm already so thin, but I continued because I know how right I was. Being a male is not about big bodies or big muscles. Men don't speak up about their insecurities and that is a toxic relationship with your own body. 

Once this random stranger who I met at a grocery shop started giving me tips about how to gain weight and at that moment my blood boiled, I stopped him and said mind your own business. I felt amazing and proud when I stood for myself. 

In college we had a running competition and I remember once these two guys behind my race track were saying to me that I would never win. I mean look at him so thin but I won the race and came first and said those guys that do not even judge and left. 

I am blessed with a good fashion sense. I never felt insecure about how some clothes never fitted me. I liked the baggy look because it was a trend and it still is. Fashion is a place where I feel proud about who I am and how I look. 

Present Experience 

I still get questions: why so thin? I say I'm on a diet and they laugh. I'm tired of explaining "why so thin?" question.

Now that I've started loving my body, I get a lot of positive comments about my body, whether you have a model body, perfect slim and what not but I've learnt that we should never rely on someone's comment whether it's positive or negative, just accept and love yourself you'll see more positive things around. Today I still get those unsolicited tips about gaining weight or joining a gym but I never bother. Remember it's your life not others take it seriously by truly accepting and loving yourself. 

Do whatever you feel to, if you want to change your body think whether you are doing it because of what others think or you want it for yourself. Start believing in yourself and then choose your transformation. 

Overall my situations were not extreme as I've heard about others who have gone through worse. Those who are going through their insecurities I'm sure you will overcome it once.