May is Mental Health Awareness Month. There is a lot to be said about our mental health. Especially for big breast women, whether we realize it or not. Honestly, have you considered how your breasts impact your mental health?

This post is not intended to bring anyone down. It is to bring awareness to the fact that sometimes, we need to consider EV-E-RY possibility that contributes to our mental wellbeing, and ways to navigate to a healthier version of ourselves. But first, we must determine the cause of our emotions.

Attention      

I honestly had not considered the impact my breasts had on me as a young woman until I was older and realized that I was carrying emotional baggage from my youth due to my breast size.

You see, I started wearing a bra in the third grade. I didn’t like the attention so I would wear larger shirts so as not to draw attention to myself. Over the years, ‘hiding’ became a thing for me. Compliments were hard for me to receive because no one was supposed to see me.  

In hiding and limiting myself to receiving compliments, I didn’t show up as a lively individual. When I learned what an introvert was, I said, “That’s me”. But is it? When I feel really comfortable around people, I am not an introvert. But because I didn’t want to be seen, I settled for activities and spaces that would not draw attention to myself. 

Self-conscious 

I was definitely self-conscious of myself because my body left me no other choice. I was like the letter P, stick figure with curves at the top. I felt awkward. I felt uncomfortable. The uncomfortableness was very apparent when I began running track. 

Middle school. This was NOT the time for me to figure out who I was AND juggle (literally) being an athlete with big breasts. I remember the moment I was going to choose to focus on something other than hiding my breasts. It was the end of my middle school years and I was getting ready to enter high school.I walked by a shopping center on the way to school and took notice of my legs. I told myself, “You have nice legs.” Focusing on something else allowed me to appreciate something about my body.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but feeling good about how you look is important to well…feeling good. If you are struggling to feel good about yourself because of your body, pick ONE thing that makes you say, “Girl, you look good!” Even if it’s your eyebrows-when you get them done. Those tend to be my focus these days. 

Have more than one thing that looks good? Great! Tell another woman she looks good (hair, makeup, outfit). A simple compliment goes a long way.  

Feeling like I didn’t belong.

Knowing that I was often larger than most girls my age made me feel as if I didn’t fit it. I couldn’t wear the cute clothes they were wearing. A) Because the tops didn’t look good on me. B) I really didn’t want to draw attention to myself. 

This became very apparent around the summertime when it was time to shop for swimsuits. To this day, I don’t like shopping for swimsuits. My husband recently purchased some swimsuits online. I took one look at the tops and in frustration, said (maybe even shouted), “I can’t fit that!” 

(Will be working on solving that problem too ;)

Those feelings while shopping as an adolescent still remain with me today. “I won’t look good in that”. “That’s cut too low”. Things I still tell myself sometimes because of my past shopping experiences. 

Speaking of a shopping experience. How many of you have gone to get fit for a bra and wanted to cry when you were told your true cup size?

Guess what? It’s just a letter. I had to learn this the hard way. I was “hurt” when I was told I was an F and I thought I was a D. The expression on the fitter's face let me know that she had dealt with other women like me telling her, “No I’m not!” 

Ladies. You fit in and belong to a community more than you know. And you belong in your correct cup size. So go get fitted!

Onward and Upward! (in life, not the bounce)

Now that I realize what was holding me back from being my full self, I can face life with a new outlook. My breast size does not: 

• Define who I am. 
• Tell me how I should show up in the world. 
• Tell me what  I can do and cannot do. 

If you’ve struggled to find joy and peace in your life because of your bust size, please know that you are not alone. 

Say this with me: 

My breast size does not define me. 

I can live and be the best version of myself. 

Now, go out there and live!

Feel free to let us know how you are living by following us on IG @livebounceless or emailing us at hello@bounceless.com.

 

#livebounceless

We all have our unique personalities. Shouldn't our workouts match who we are? Well they can! Whether you like to walk, do HIIT, try new exercises, or keep up with your regular workout routine, understanding yourself and what keeps you motivated is important.

There’s no doubt about it. We all need someone to lean on. Do you think about this when it comes to your physical health? Or do you go at it alone? 

An accountability partner is someone we should consider having in our life. Perhaps having someone different for the different areas in our lives. For example, we can have someone hold us accountable for our professional goals. We can have someone different hold us accountable for our personal goals of getting things checked off our to-do lists (or bucket list).