Commanding respect in your relationships and knowing your worth as a human being sounds easy enough. But the truth is, society throws so many unrealistic expectations at us as women that it becomes hard to fit into the mold. It hits even harder on those of us who have had babies. The expectation that our bodies return to pre-baby size and shape ASAP is splashed across magazine covers and social media. We are meant to feel like we are failing.
But, do you want to know a secret?
That narrative is complete and utter trash.
It’s garbage.
Your worth as a person is not wrapped up in your physical appearance and every relationship you have should serve to build you up, not tear you down. It takes hard, deliberate work to believe that voice inside yourself that says “I am worthy, I am beautiful and I am enough.” But with repetition, the message will stick.
As a Registered Dietitian with a specialty in eating disorders, I have had a unique pathway in education that has made me well aware of body image and self love. I loved spreading this message of self acceptance and seeing people accept their bodies just as it was. When I was asked to join the Real Mom Summer campaign, I knew what a positive impact it would have on myself and other moms.
Our Real Mom Summer campaign worked to combat this toxic narrative that your worth as a woman is one in the same as your physical appearance. Through our own boudoir photography session as well as a team shoot, we each felt the power in embracing ourselves just as we are, loving our body no matter what and supporting our friends. That boudoir shoot was one of the single most difficult, yet empowering moments of my life.
I recommend it to everyone!
But if the price tag of these photoshoots is out of your budget at the moment, I have found something else that will help deliver this message of self acceptance.
My favorite author, Kay Cove, is releasing a new standalone book called Camera Shy. It is about a woman who finds her way to self acceptance and self love through the help of her handsome neighbor, who just so happens to be a boudoir photographer. She sent me an advance copy of the book, for which I am so very grateful. I think that the book delivers this message wonderfully. If you let Finn’s words soak in, you can feel the same drive I did after my boudoir photoshoot to love yourself just as you are without feeling like you have to apologize for who you are, what you like and what you want.
Book Summary
Avery Scott is dumped on her 30th birthday, the day she thought her boyfriend (and business partner) of four years would surely propose to her. Mason blames their lack luster sex life and their business focused lifestyle on his desire to split up. Heartbroken, Avery leaves her life in California behind to help a client in Vegas for the summer. In Vegas, she meets her handsome next door neighbor, Finn Harvey, who is a struggling boudoir photographer. Avery’s work as a brand consultant means she is just the woman to help Finn’s business grow. In exchange for her help, Finn agrees to give her some lessons on accepting herself, learning how to command respect from the people in her life and embracing who she really is. Avery has this one summer to learn to find her self confidence so she can return to California to face the life she left behind. But after this passionate summer with Finn, Avery will have to put Finn’s lessons to work when she realizes her life’s biggest heartbreak wasn’t losing Mason.
Rating
♾️⭐️, 5🌶️
This is probably one of the spiciest books I have read to date. But it comes with this powerful message about holding those you trust to a standard that builds you up, protecting yourself, seeing your own worth and owning it. The explicit romance in this book only serves to drive home Finn’s ultimate message of self confidence and self acceptance.
Takeaways
This beautiful story about owning who you are unapologetically has a message for people everywhere. You are worth more than what society claims you are due based on your appearance. Appearance is not a factor in determining your worth. Your heart, your mind, and your love for others matter most. You can love yourself without limits and expect those that you keep in your circle to give you that back in return.
The more we all believe this, practice it and repeat it out loud, eventually those ridiculous societal pressures will fade for people everywhere.
I will leave you with some of Finn’s best advice.
Read his words.
Soak them in as though he speaking to you.
You deserve to believe his words just as much as Avery does because they are true for me and they are true for you.
You’re beautiful. You’re worthy.
Apologizing for your body is ridiculous.
Confidence starts with you.
