Hi Nicole!
Thank you for participating in this
interview post on low confidence and self-esteem. I know that this is
something that impacts a lot of females and males at all ages so it
is greatly important and something that isn't addressed enough.
Can
you tell me a bit about yourself, Nicole?
Well
I’m a teen beauty and lifestyle blogger from a little town in the
High peak. My favourite things in the world are lipstick and lists.
What
is your experience with low confidence and low self-esteem? Is it
something you've always suffered from or was there something that
triggered it off?
When
I was 8 I had a really huge operation to build me a hip socket (as I
was only born with half of one) and I spent 11 weeks confined to a
hospital bed as both my legs were in a plaster cast with a 40cm metal
bar in the middle. I piled on weight as I couldn’t move and was
living of hospital food and as I got older the weight never seemed to
shift as I had a lot of trouble still with my hip and spent a lot of
the time in pain. I began to get more and more self conscious as I
got older at one point when I was about 10 I weighed the same as I do
now and I’m about a foot taller! I began to not only hate my body I
began to hate myself for not being able to get rid of the weight!
Even though I knew deep down that there was nothing I could do. My
self confidence was at rock bottom and I hated my body. I still have
a wobble every now and then but I am learning to love my body the way
it is!
Suffering
from low confidence and self-esteem can be exhausting and draining
because you're constantly putting yourself down and comparing
yourself to others. Do you agree and what is your view on low
confidence and self-esteem?
I
used to constantly ask myself why I wasn’t as pretty or as thin as
all the other girls I didn’t understand that everyone is different
and that I was just fine the way I was. It feels like you have
someone in your ear all the time telling you that you’re not as
good as everyone else and that you’re worthless. It’s soul
destroying.
What
do you hope will be the view of the media in the future as currently
the media can be criticised for being quite narrow-minded in their
opinion of what is considered “perfect”?
Not
everyone has perfect boobs, a flat stomach and a peachy bum. In fact
it would be a really boring world if we did. I wish the media would
realise that the “flaws” they see are what makes you who you are.
Like your funny shaped nose which was passed down from your great
granddad who fought for our country or the colour of your hair which
was passed down from your mum. These are the things that make us who
we are and things we should love just like we loved the people that
passed them down to us.
Do
you feel that the media is doing enough to provide support to those
who suffer from low confidence and self-esteem?
No
the media are still using size 0 models and airbrushing photos to
within an inch of their life. I think that until the media uses
models of all shapes and sizes someone somewhere will feel down
because they aren’t what the media considers as beautiful.
What
do you do to boost your confidence and self-esteem when you are
feeling low?
I
love putting some music on and just letting myself forget about
everything. I also love to go running as I find it clears my head but
also makes me feel really good about myself!
What
advice do you have to anyone who is battling with low confidence and
self-esteem issues?
Don’t
let people tell you that you aren’t beautiful. You are a collection
of pieces from all the people that have come before you and if that
doesn’t make you beautiful I don’t know what does. If you’re
feeling low do something you love or spend some time with someone who
you love and you will soon realise how many people think you are
beautiful.
Thank you for your answers, Nicole and thank you for being so honest which I know will help a lot of readers who will be very appreciative of your words of wisdom and positivity! If you would like to visit Nicole's blog or follow her on Twitter, her links are below!
Nicole's Links:
Twitter: @coleoftheball
Remember, one of the main reasons I started this blog was to provide a platform for people to come and feel safe knowing they have someone to talk to, so why not get in touch with me and we can discuss any problem you have or even if you just want to talk - that's fine too! Here's how you can contact me:
Get in touch with me:
Email: ChloesConcept@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!
Chloe x
.jpg)
What a lovely post, Nicole you have such a great attitude!
ReplyDeleteEmily x