Silencing Society's Screams
Statistics & Encouragement
Low self-esteem is real. It's a powerful thing that causes women to feel bad about who they are and how they look. It is a thinking disorder that causes women to feel they are inadequate and unworthy.
Let's take a look at a few statistics.
Research by the Dove Company provided these surprising statistics:
- 6 in 10 girls stop doing what they love because they feel bad about their looks.
- Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful (up from 2% in 2004)
- Only 11% of girls globally are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves
- 72% of girls feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful
- 80% of women agree that every woman has something about her that is beautiful but do not see their own beauty
- More than half (54%) of women globally agree that when it comes to how they look, they are their own beauty critic.
SOURCE: Dove Research: The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited - http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/Self-Esteem-Statistics.aspx
Image Source - http://hypnosisresults.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/bigstock-overcoming-feelings-of-inadequ-20358527.jpg
Another 2010 study by the Girl Scouts of the USA and The Dove Self-Esteem Fund reveals:
- 81% of girls would rather see "real" or "natural" photos of models than touched up, airbrushed versions, yet 47% say fashion magazines give them a body image to strive for.
- 63% of girls think the body image represented by the fashion industry is unrealistic and 47% think it is unhealthy, yet 60% say that they compare their bodies to fashion models.
- 48% wish they were as skinny as the models in fashion magazines, and 31% of girls admit to starving themselves or refusing to eat as a strategy to lose weight.
I really recommend this article to read over. A lot of truths and statistics revealed within it.
These statistics given show proofs of how the model and beauty industry effect women and young girls. By these unrealistic standards that society screams creates a low self-esteem for girls who feel they can never reach that standard.
Another eye opener is the theory that low self-esteem is also linked to violent behavior such as cutting themselves, drug and alcohol abuse and eating disorders. As well as school dropout rates, teenage pregnancy, suicide and low academic achievement.
You can read more on this here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/girls/html/issues/issues.shtml#5
Image Source - http://clarkchronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/body-image-statistics_51a8b6cb56b6a_w1500.jpg
These are all alarming statistics, especially with how early it begins to effect young girls.
From my own personal experience, I remember when I was in Kindergarten. I was sitting in the lunchroom with my classmates, cracking up with my friends Taylor and Samantha. Out of the blue one of them turned to me and whispered, "You're kind of fat, you know that?"
I kind of laughed and shrugged it off, but my heart stopped. I was young, I never looked in the mirror and thought I was fat. Or even skinny, for that matter. That's not a subject that a child of that age should have to ponder. I just saw me. A little brunette girl who loved to smile!
Looking back, I realized that is when a majority of my insecurities began. I remember the next morning getting on the school bus and adjusting the hem of my clothes, sucking in my tummy when someone got on the bus and then releasing it when when they passed and sat in their seats.
Why do we accept what society sees us as? I was not an obese Kindergartner and I had no need to feel insecurity at that age. At that age, the most my worries should have been was catching cooties from ole Billy or something silly like that.
I remember the fearless, confident, spunky girl that I was back then. This journey is going to help me find her again. I'm tuning out the screams of society and listening for that young voice that held a confident view on life.
With that being said, I'm pretty excited about how things are happening right now. My confidence is already beginning to heal. My husband called me beautiful today, as he always does. The difference this time, instead of arguing, I gave him the biggest smile. I know that this challenge will not be easy for me. But sweet moments like that make my heart soar!
As I know there will be days when I feel down and miserable in the future, I wanted to make a list of encouraging phrases and motivation to help me continue this journey to learn to accept and love myself. I want to share this with you as well.
I AM:
- A Daughter of the King: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:26 KJV
- God-fearing: "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." - Proverbs 30:31
- Steadfast in the Love of Christ: "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakeness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:31-39 KJV
- Redeemed: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to his riches in grace;" - Ephesians 1:7 KJV
- A Masterpiece: "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." Psalms 139:11 KJV
- Worth Far More than Rubies: "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10 KJV
- Loved: "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:6-8 KJV
"YOU are not too fat or too skinny. You are not too old or too wrinkly. Your nose isn't too big and your boobs aren't too small. You are not ugly or stupid. This body of yours, no matter what shape or size, has carried you around your whole life. It's taken you places, enabled you to explore the world. Picked you up when you've fallen down. Fought through colds and flu, broken bones and broken hearts. Even though you put it down, it keeps on going. Keeps on working the best it can. Through the good and the bad, your heart has kept beating. It will take you through to the very end. What a clever thing it is. What a brilliant, beautiful person you are." - Source: http://beautyisinside.com/2012/12/you-are-not-too-fat-or-too-skinny/
These are just a few encouraging words I wanted to share with you. I will keep adding encouragement to the best of my abilities as I continue with this blog. I pray each of you benefit from this and that it ministers to your heart.
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Suggested Reads:
Facts and Statistics on Low Self-Esteem:
11 Facts about Teens and Self-Esteem: http://www.crisistextline.org/11-facts-about-teens-and-self-esteem/
Statistics on Girls & Women's Self-Esteem, Pressures and Leadership: http://www.heartofleadership.org/statistics/
Low Self-Esteem: http://www.simplypsychology.org/self-esteem.html
Surprising Self-Esteem Statistics: http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/Self-Esteem-Statistics.aspx
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