Embracing Your Own Skin

Celebrating Authenticity and Self-Acceptance

In a world that constantly bombards us with ideals of beauty, success, and perfection, it's easy to feel the weight of expectations and lose sight of our own unique essence.

I spent my teenage either refraining from capturing photographs or heavily editing them, all in an attempt to conform to a world that associates fair skin with beauty. Hormonal acne and racist jokes from schoolmates were the icing on the cake. I found my solace in fairness creams and the famous YouCam Perfect app, that would lighten your skin tone, soften the texture, thin your face, and do everything that the typical beauty standards had defined. The journey of self-acceptance and embracing our true selves was not easy. It took a lot of courage and effort to accept myself as I am.

Here’s a recent picture of me, being confident of myself and the person I am today 👇

They say, “You shine when you are happy and healthy”. I was quick to realize that physical appearance is temporary, it is who you are as a person that matters the most.

Taking one step at a time -

1. I started expressing gratitude - had a good lunch? Say, thank you. A good day with nice weather? Say, thank you. I made a list of everything that made me happy in a day.

2. Nutrition plays an integral role in nourishing your skin, muscles, and hair - I invested in a healthier diet and a proper exercising schedule.

   Note - It wasn’t easy to be consistent, I failed a lot of times until I finally stuck to my routine

3. Spending lesser time on social media was of great help since I was no longer seeing reels and setting unrealistic body or image standards.

However, these are some things that worked for me and there is no one mantra for self-appreciation.

Here are some steps that you can take 👇

• Self-Reflection and Awareness

Techniques and practices such as journaling, mindfulness, and self-assessment exercises can help us uncover our passions, strengths, and values.

• Nurturing Self-Compassion

Embracing imperfections, perfectionism, and self-criticism often stand in the way of self-acceptance. By cultivating kindness, forgiveness, and acceptance toward ourselves, we can form an environment that allows us to grow and flourish authentically.

• Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Embracing our own skin is not a destination but a continuous journey of personal growth. We continually evolve and embrace our ever-changing, authentic selves.

Author note:
It took me a while to decide what topic should I choose for my first newsletter. It was a random Wednesday at 8:00 pm IST when I was looking at the mirror, at my forehead full of acne, and sun tan and it didn’t bother me. It was at this moment that I realized I have overcome the stigma that haunted me for the longest time.

To my readers:
Be your authentic self