Ever sit back and think how much of what you do is driven by societal standards? Through decades of TV, music, movies, and social media messaging, society has set the standard for everything from beauty to behavior.
We are told what to do and how to do it. And if we don’t play by the rules, we are shunned!
5 Tips To Break Societal Standards
What if I told you that it’s mostly a crock of bull? What if I told you that someone got the story all wrong? There are so many things that we have been told not to do that we should have been doing all along! Here are 5 that you should start immediately…I mean like yesterday:
1. Embrace Your Natural Beauty
I spent my whole adolescence believing that the standard of beauty was straight hair and light skin and my teenage years believing it was a long weave, curvy hips, and a big butt! Somewhere along the way, I realized that there was no one person in the world that fits EVERY single standard of beauty throughout the decades. Come to think of it, those deemed beautiful didn’t even look the same! They were all their own kind of beautiful. So be just that, your own kind of beautiful! I grew up to be a 30-something, size 12 with locs down to my waist, and that’s just fine with me!
2. Stop Hiding Your Trauma
The world would have you believe that trauma is a bad hand that was dealt with only you. Don’t believe the hype! Trauma is more common than you think. Its impact is a part of who you are. Embrace it as a part of your journey. It takes more energy to hide than to heal from it!
3. Celebrate Your Small Wins
Setting big, ambitious goals is admirable and reaching them is worth celebrating, but the end is not the only thing worth celebrating. Celebrate every moment of the journey. Sometimes celebrating the small wins gives you the energy you need to make it to the finish line. A win is a win so break out the streamers!
4. Actively Love You More
Why is this one so hard for us, especially women? We can love on our kids, our significant other, and even our dogs, but we have to force ourselves to love US. I know we have been told how selfish self-care is. Baby, society has it all twisted! Self-care doesn’t always mean me first, but it does mean me too! You can’t truly love another if you don’t love yourself! Get intentional with your self-love! I promise you, the ones telling you that it’s selfish wouldn’t hesitate to miss a call from you for their own moment of peace!
5. Say No to Things You Aren’t Okay With
Now this one was hard for me! If you are like me, you say yes even when you don’t want to. Stop that! Add NO to your vocabulary because NO is protection; NO is a boundary for the giver because sometimes the take doesn’t have any. Say NO because sometimes you need to.
Choose the Best Path For You
So, the secret is out! You can:
- Be natural and beautiful
- Unashamed of past trauma
- Celebrate your whole journey
- Love yourself unapologetically
- Say NO Freely
So, go on girl! Don’t believe the hype or societal standards! Travel the path you choose not the one laid out for you!
XOXO
Mrs. HJ the Resilience Expert