Why Haven’t I Shared These Photos Before?

Anybody that knows me, knows that one of my life mottos is: “Photos or it didn’t happen!”

I love capturing all the wonderful highs and  even the lows of life with a quick snap on my phone.

Many get shared here on the blog (particularly in my Sentence A Day posts), and the best ones might go on my social media. However, the majority are for my own enjoyment 🙂 .

(Which reminds me – a few months ago Miss 25 set up a private Instagram account purely for her own enjoyment, and here she documents her life in pictures – usually one a day. She shares it with only half a dozen close family and friends, myself included. Another version of my Sentence A Day project perhaps? Anyways, she says it is one of the best things she has ever done for her mental health as she can keep it real and doesn’t have to fuss if her makeup or hair or outfit aren’t “just so”. She posts lots of silly pics too, pulling faces and whatever. It’s nice to see her natural self compared to her carefully curated “public” Instagram account!)

So … you would think that when I got some professional pics taken last year, I would have been busting to share them.

It was part of a photo shoot for my personal trainer, Brisbane’s only Body Positive fitness coach.

After we’d done the promo images we all got to have a quick individual session. Some chose business or corporate style headshots but as I’d had some done recently, I was ready for something a bit more relaxed and playful.

I got the photos back in August last year, and while I like them, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to share them with the world.

Why the hesitation?

Because I’m too damn hard on myself!

I let myself be influenced by the body shaming culture we were there to reject!

When you look at these photos, probably all you will see is that I look really joyous and like I’m having a good time.

When *I* look at these photos, I zero in on all my imperfections – each wrinkle and bulge, my double chin, saggy boobs and VPL. Oh, and I’m not wearing any lipstick (it had long since worn off and I’d forgotten to take it with me).

And so I’ve sat on them.

For shame!!!!

No, not that I forgot my lippy.

Rather that I’ve been reluctant to show off these beautiful images because I didn’t look “perfect”.

But I do think that they show the REAL me. Happy. Playful. Cheeky. Sassy. Fabulous. Fun!

And in this final image (above) … I think I look TRIUMPHANT! Which is very appropriate considering it’s my one little word for the year 😉 .

What’s your initial reaction when you see natural photos of yourself – Oooo or Ewwww?!

PS I believe that Mr 27 has a similar Instagram account but I’m not one of the privileged few to have access to it. Humph.