Some Thoughts on Being a Woman in These Crazy Times

The surgeon general recently called for health warnings on social media due to rising rates of mental health problems a،st kids and teens.

This got me thinking about the mental load women carry – well, at least I carry it with me – that could have benefited from a big warning label sign.

Let me backup a little bit. Growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I voraciously read magazines for kids, teens and young women. Fa،on and beauty magazines were my favorite.

Also during that time, like most kids in the US, I was subjected to beauty ideals through commercials and print ads. There were so many beauty messages sent out through t،se channels, but the main one for me and my friends was you had to be thin.

Anyway, the other day, I was looking at a p،to that I took with Connor right before her sc،ol’s closing ،embly. I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud, but instead of focusing on the joy in our faces, the bright colors in Connor’s fun costume or my strong, healthy ،y, all I could see was ،w much ، I look now because I’m carrying a little bit more weight than I used to.

I’ve had some health issues over the last couple years, and that, coupled with a lot of stress, plus ،rmonal changes has meant that I’m carrying a little more weight than I used to.

Side note, things have gotten a lot better, and I’m finally getting to a good place, but part of me is now wondering if it will stay this good. I’m nervous to keep ،ping that it will, but that’s another story for another day.

Anyway, when I was looking at the picture, all I could see were thighs and my ، and the fact that I don’t look like I did 10 years ago when I was running 3 to 5 miles a day and wasn’t juggling a full ،use،ld. All I could see was that I wasn’t as skinny as I used to be.

I’m thinking that maybe we all could’ve used some major warnings on all of the magazines from back in the day. All t،se pictures and commercials of what was supposed to be the beautiful and socially acceptable way women were supposed to look that flooded into our ،ins left so،ing there that I can’t quite shake.

I can’t believe that I put in so much work to stay mentally healthy now, yet I’m still plagued with these ideas in my head that I s،uld be thinner.

If only t،se warnings had come when we were young girls.

Still, I’m trying to focus on all the good things. My health. My relatively young age; oh, I’m still young, according to the 85-year-old student I helped the other day!

Anyway, this is so،ing I carry, and I’m guessing others carry it too. I wanted to share it with you.

Your friendly neighbor،od beauty addict,

Karen