Be You: The Freedom of Letting Go of Other People's Opinions
Godd3ss Aisha
True story...
One morning I stood in front of my closet thinking, "What should I wear?" 🤔
It was a little chilly outside, so I grabbed a pair of jeans, a cute sweatshirt, and my leg warmers.
"Hey...cute and comfy!" 😊
I got to work.
A coworker looked at me and laughed.
"Good morning, Aisha! Girl...are you trying to bring leg warmers back?!" 😂😂😂
"I haven't seen those since the '80s!"
We both laughed, but later I caught myself thinking...
"Am I old school?"
"Am I out of style?"
"Am I not keeping up with the times?"
Later that day, I asked my boyfriend at the time,
"How do I look?"
He smiled and said,
"You look good...but you should tighten up that tummy. Get that 'snatched' look like Cardi B or Megan Thee Stallion."
I paused.
I had already been thinking about getting my stomach flatter, so hearing that made me think,
"Maybe I really do need to start working out."
Looking back, I realized something.
Even as adults, we're still playing many of the same games we played in school.
Back then, it was all about who had the latest shoes, the newest hairstyle, the coolest clothes. If you didn't keep up, someone made sure you knew it.
Has much really changed?
Today I see women—and men—working extra shifts, taking out loans, and spending thousands on cosmetic procedures just to achieve the latest beauty trend.
If you're curvy, you're told to lose weight.
If you're thin, you're told to eat more.
If your hair is natural, someone has an opinion about it.
If you color it, someone has an opinion.
So...
When does it stop?
Let's be honest.
Some people will say, "I did it for me."
And for some, that's absolutely true.
But for many of us, if we're willing to be completely honest with ourselves, at least part of that decision is driven by a desire to be accepted, validated, or approved by society.
Constantly chasing someone else's version of beauty can slowly chip away at your self-esteem.
Your subconscious is always listening.
When you repeatedly tell yourself you're not enough, eventually your mind begins to believe it—and your body often follows.
What if one day you decided...
"I'm going to dye my hair purple."
"I'm going to stop shaving."
"I'm going to wear leg warmers because I like them."
Immediately the questions start.
"What will people think?"
"What will they say?"
Then I asked myself something even more important.
Why do I care?
My answer surprised me.
I didn't want people to think I wasn't current.
I didn't want to seem outdated.
Then another question came.
"If you're constantly changing to fit everyone else's expectations...who are you?"
That question changed everything.
I realized I had been allowing social media, family, friends, trends, and complete strangers to influence how I saw myself.
Little by little, I was losing my identity.
Once I made the decision to simply be myself—and stop worrying about everyone else's opinion—it felt incredibly freeing.
I stood taller.
I walked differently.
I spoke with more confidence.
Not because I had changed my appearance...
But because I had finally become comfortable in my own skin.
Now, if your doctor recommends losing or gaining weight for your health, that's a different conversation. Taking care of your body is an act of self-love.
But if your decision is purely cosmetic, take a moment before making it.
Sit quietly with yourself.
Remove the voices of social media.
Silence the opinions of family and friends.
Forget about trends for just a little while.
Then ask yourself:
"Is this truly what I want...or am I trying to become someone else's definition of beautiful?"
You may discover that you already love the body you're in.
Whether you're curvy, slim, athletic, or somewhere in between...
Whether you wear leg warmers or designer heels...
Whether your hair is natural, colorful, long, or short...
You are worthy.
You are enough.
And that, my beautiful soul, is more than enough. 💚
If this message resonated with you, please share it with someone you love and care about. You never know who may need the reminder that they are already enough, just as they are.
Peace, Love & Light. 💚🧘🏾♀️
