My body image story
I'm excited to talk about something deeply personal and a bit nerve-wracking today—my own body image journey and why I've decided to share more candidly about it
👉 By the way, if you need support to get through the most triggering “bad body image” days (e.g. social events , when comparison creeps in or when clothes don’t fit), grab the FREE Body Image Emergency Toolkit! that will help you through those moments!
I didn’t feel good enough in my body
For 15 years of my life (starting in middle school and all through my 20s!), I avoided wearing clothes that exposed my legs. It’s not that there was a defining traumatic moment, but it was more likely a combination of different factors.
I spent the first 7 years of my life born and raised in suburban America, but when I moved to Korea at age 7, I think that might’ve been the start of comparison kicking in. I was surrounded by other Asian girls for the first time in my life and increasingly felt self-conscious that I didn’t fit the “stick thin” mold of most of them, especially with my hips and legs.
By middle school, all shorts, skirts, bathing suits were OUT from my life and I never thought I’d wear them again.
Breaking free from the mental block
The big change came one day when I was 29. At the time, I was in a transition phase as I ditched my corporate media job and began my path to becoming a dietitian. I had never lived in Texas before, and I never experienced that kind of heat before! It was SCORCHING hot!
And it came to a point where I felt: “It’s too damn hot to care anymore!”
Reflecting back on that moment now, I can also recognize that there were other shifts that ultimately led up to that “big break. But I will never forget that very distinct moment where I felt that warm summer breeze on my bare legs when I finally wore shorts outside for the first time in 15 years.
It wasn’t just physically liberating. It was even more emotionally liberating. That moment symbolized a turning point—a step toward embracing my body without shame.
The deeper struggle with body image
The body image journey goes beyond just how you “see” your body or “feel” about your body. It's about the deep-seated desire to feel enough, accepted, and lovable— To feel that not only is your body “good enough,” but that YOU are worthy enough. That is what I know was true for me and I see is true for so many of my clients who struggle with their bodies.
How YOU can start breaking free from body image struggles
Wearing shorts for the first time in years was only one part of my body image journey. The real work was overcoming the ingrained narrative that my body had to look a certain way to be acceptable or lovable. And ultimately, body image healing is about rewriting those stories, questioning them, and ultimately releasing them. Because we "LEARN” to “hate” our bodies. We are NOT BORN that way. It was LEARNED, meaning it CAN BE UNLEARNED.
So I invite you to reflect on the stories you tell yourself about your body when the mean and negative voices come up.
Where did you learn those stories? Are they the truth and the absolute truth? (They’re not!) When you start to engage with these narratives—with curiosity and compassion—you CAN begin to dismantle them and release them. Some stories can shift through a single moment of epiphany, while for some ingrained stories, it may be a gradual process.
Interested in furthering this journey?
➡️ If you need support in shifting those old stories, I’d love to support you personally inside my “YOU, EMBODIED” 1-1 coaching program . This is where I become your guide, teacher, and partner to walk alongside you to reach your most healthful and happy relationship with food, body and yourself. Let’s dismantle those old stories that no longer serve you, and step into the most EMBODIED version of you living in joy, peace, health and self-love!💖
xo,
Mya