It’s extremely common for a woman’s body to change after going through pregnancy and having a baby. The skin needs to stretch and move in order to make room for the growing bundle of joy.
Unfortunately, the combination of stretch marks and extra weight can make a woman feel self-conscious about her body. Then, with a little one running around, it’s hard to find time to work out. The devil works overtime trying to convince these women they’re ugly and no longer amount to much.
One woman decided to appreciate the beauty of the body she had.
Sharny Kieser, a fitness guru, shared a post on her Facebook page that resonated with a lot of women. She admitted the body she had wasn’t what she always dreamed of. Sharney said, “I used to not see the point in exercise because my body was covered in stretch marks.”
Feeling defeated.
Sharny went on to share, “What’s the point in having a great body if I will never wear a bikini? I’d think. If I was ever invited to the beach or a pool party, I’d always decline. On the odd occasion, I couldn’t avoid it, I’d stay inside, helping with the food or cleaning.” As a mother of six, she lived in tee shirts and board shorts, yet still yearning for a “perfect” body.
Then she had a revelation.
Things for Sharny took a dramatic turn one day when she overheard her husband discussing her stretchmarks with friends. To her surprise, he wasn’t appalled by them but rather, he thought they were beautiful. To him, those scars showed she was a real woman and a fantastic mother.
Learning to love yourself.
Hearing what her husband said had a huge impact on Sharny. It was through his words that she finally understood why she’d been unhappy with her body for so many years. “I had hated myself for the very reasons he loved me. My body wasn’t ruined or disgusting, it had transformed from a selfish girl’s body into a selfless mother’s body, and the scars were a symbol of that transformation.”
Mothers need to remind themselves of something every day.
As soon as Sharny had a different opinion of her body, she was able to get results from working out. She started a routine that wouldn’t provide the “perfect” body but one that was perfect for her. She tells women that every day, they need to remind themselves of three important things. Feel proud, feel love, and feel love for yourself.
She now embraces her stretchmarks.
For the first time in her life, Sharny sees her stretchmarks as a blessing. She added, “The love of my husband and the love of my children. Each one of them had been nurtured and lived behind those scars for nine months.” When you put it like that, it’s easy to see just how beautiful stretch marks are.
Women shouldn’t hate what they see on the outside but what stretchmarks represent in the real world. By changing their viewpoint, perhaps other women will start to feel motivated and inspired to transform their bodies in a way that makes them feel more comfortable.
Women are powerful, women are amazing, and women should feel like goddesses.
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