Ashley

“This last year I’ve tried to be more authentic and [have worked on] learning who I am. Just this last year I left a religion [where] I felt like I kind of had to hide myself away. After I had my last child, I had really bad depression and I became a stay-at-home mom and I just kind of felt like I lost myself completely. I didn’t recognize myself in the mirror.”

“I don’t know if leaving the church I was in my whole life set something off in me, this fire off. I don’t want to hide anymore. I just want people to see me. I want to have a voice. It’s hard to put yourself out there. I was taught that you have to hide your body, and you should have to hide who you are – that includes what you look like.”

“I definitely think I’m still on [my self-love journey]. I don’t know if you ever really get out of it. I want to be a role model for my kids. I’ve realized that [hiding yourself away] takes away from your life. I hid away after I gained weight because I didn’t want anyone to see me, and that’s sad. I don’t want people to feel like they’re not worth something because of what they look like. I want to show people that you should love yourself in every season of your life.“

“You are not your body. You’re a soul inside your body. Focus on being happy, not just trying to fit into what other people think you should look like.”