Need a bit of body confidence sparkle in your life? Not feeling as body positive as you’d like? Wanting to boost your self-love vibe? Well, it’s another week, and that means a new edition of The Body Diaries for you guys to sink your teeth into! This week I chatted with Danni, owner of the cutest cat, a proud feminism and into vegan grub.
(tw: there is talk of eating disorders in this interview, reader’s discretion is advised)
Give my readers a little introduction to you. Who are you and what are you about?
I’m Danni, I’m 22 and I’m originally from London but I’ve lived all over the place. Soon, I’ll be moving to Liverpool! I’m passionate about politics, feminism and animal rights. I’ve been a Labour Party member for 3 years now and a vegan/veggie for almost 10 years! I’m always listening to music and live shows are my absolute favourite place to be.
How would you describe your relationship with your body?
I’ve had issues with my body for as long as I can remember, really. I carried some extra weight as a child, so it was always a topic of conversation in my family when I was younger! I first developed anorexia just after I began high school at 13. There was soo much pressure in my peer group, and for any girls at that time anyway! We were constantly comparing ourselves to images we saw in magazines and each other.
I’ve been in recovery for about 4 years now. I still struggle with food sometimes, but I am much healthier! My body is a totally different story. I was diagnosed with endometriosis (which is a chronic pain condition) around the same time I started recovery. It has made it even harder to accept and love my body!
Image wise, it’s an absolute rollercoaster. Some days, I love my hips and tights. Other days, I absolutely hate them. It’s so hard with social media not to compare yourself to other girls, or think you’re the only girl with imperfections, but that’s completely untrue!
Tell me which 3 parts of yourself that you love the most?
I love my lips. I love my tattoos, they have really helped me to accept different parts of my body! And I love the colour of my eyes. The last one feels like a cop out, but I don’t like their size or shape, only the colour!
What is your go-to outfit that makes you feel like you’re the hottest person on earth?
I just love getting dressed up! Day-to-day, I am usually in jeans, band t-shirts and trainers. Whenever I put on a dress and get to do my hair/makeup properly, it always makes me feel so much better about myself!
How do you try and get over the bad days you have with your body?
I’ve only really had this mindset for the last few months. When I really start to pick at my perceived imperfections, or feel down about parts of my body, I just remind myself of everything I’ve been through! I’ve had surgery for my endometriosis, my body is still ticking along and working. I don’t think I have the right to be so angry at it. My body is a just a vessel for my personality and soul. I know my brain has been trained to think my tummy isn’t nice or my thighs are too big, but I try to step back and think ‘what stops my tummy from being beautiful?’.
Everyone has their hangups. What I hate about my body, another girl would love to have and vise versa. I struggle with having G-cup sized boobs, but some women pay to have that size. We all have our own insecurities, but we are all still beautiful.
What tips would you give your 12-year-old self about body confidence?
Don’t base how you feel about your body entirely on aesthetic! If you’re a good person, and you’re good to others, you’ll feel good about yourself. Look after your body and appreciate it for what it is/does. Don’t believe the idea of beauty that is sold to you, it comes in so so many different forms really.
If you fancy seeing more of the wonderful Danni, you can find her here on Instagram and Twitter! Why don’t you leave Danni some love in the comments or tell me how you make yourself feel body confident?
Love, Hannah x
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Let me know what you think?