Tagged
Self-Love
Re-loving My Body After Alcoholism
Life is beautiful, life is exciting. With each new day comes new possibilities, new expectations and new beginnings.
New Month, New Theme - Reloving my Body After...
Hey TWSC Fam! All month-long, we will be bringing you stories about women who have learned to love their bodies again after physical trauma, injury, disability, addiction, gender-based violence, abuse, health crises and more! AND...we want to hear from YOU. Tell us your story!
Natural Hair Stylist & Owner of Hair by Fia Shares Tips on Caring for Your Curls
Hair by Fia was birthed out of one woman's determination to be a cut above the rest. As a natural hair advocate, she is a hairdresser who exclusively deals with hair in its natural state. Sofia Dhliwayo narrated to The Weight She Carries how it all began.
Sleeping Beauty
So here we go again. It’s that time of the year once again and reflection time sets in. How much of what I planned at the start of the year did I accomplish? Where could I have done better? Did I gain anything other than weight? Did I lose anything other than a bit of my sanity? Did I learn any new life skills (e.g. maintaining an interested look right through my child’s very d
Second Best
I know, I know…nobody tries for second place. We give our all, we put it all on the line and we go for the win. We often tell our kids that they can do anything that they put their minds to. Until they tell us that when they grow up, they want to be a giraffe. Then we have to backtrack. Now they can do almost anything. But even that isn’t always necessarily all the way accurate
Strong Girl Tears
“You’ve got to pick yourself up and keep moving forward,” I often hear after a catastrophic fail. “Don’t wallow in self-pity! Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Get up and try again. Winners never quit, and quitters never win! It’s not over until you give up!”
You're a Great Giver; But Are You a Good Receiver?
Only when we give do we receive. Easier said than done right? All we seem to do – especially as mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and grandmothers –is give. We give of our time, strength and love, but do we ever receive? Do you ever take time to replenish what has been depleted in you?
Be Happy About You
Your life is full of beauty and excellence because you are created in the image and likeness of God. Your spirit is so beautiful and your spirit is where God lives. Your spirit has the life and nature of God and that is the real you.
Her Metamorphosis
Every single time she was terrified of what was to come, she could not comprehend how she would ever survive, but she did. Circumstances, situations and dilemmas surrounded her, sticking out their tentacles and wanting to strangle her. But she fought back – oh, it was the fight of her life.
More Than Just a Hair Journey
It was about 3 years ago that I sat down in front of my mirror, getting ready to relax the new growth on my struggling, breaking, thinning, lifeless hair. I stared at my reflection, looked at the box of hair relaxer, and then back at my reflection. My reflection and I both agreed in that moment. I remember my exact words were, “Nah!” and I threw the box out. And thus began my n
The Kink in My Hair
As l got older, l was actually disappointed that my hair did not grow to the length that the towel had given me as a little girl. Years rolled by and l trudged on with my regimen of straighteners and stuff. Along the way, l made an enemy named moisture!
How I Learned to Embrace My Changing Skin
LaTonia Tillman was a teenage when she first noticed some white spots on her skin. Following a series of tests, she was diagnosed with vitiligo. The news was crushing.
Kandice Benford Discusses Loving Herself Completely Despite Vitiligo
I am 33 years old. I’m a wife, a sister and I’m a hair stylist. What drives me is being able to spread vitiligo awareness and helping others with self-love and embracing who they are.
Dig Deep
I look around me and see different kinds of people, but I take special notice of the women, whom l call ladies. When l see these ladies, I am often intrigued because I can relate to some of their struggles.
Limited Edition
Suppose you inherited a piece of jewelry that had been in your family for centuries. Suppose it is the only one of its kind. Suppose your family lost it at one time and went to great lengths to finally get it back to its rightful owners, and it has now been passed down from generation to generation.
The Unbreakable Cycle
There are moments when it just seems easier to detach our past from our present and future lives. At some point the cycle seems broken and the idea of learning something positive from that past for the sake of a brighter future seems impossible.
Seven Days
I know they say you have to plan like you’re going to live forever, right? This is basically just to encourage that sense of responsibility. I get it. It’s just that sometimes I feel like we get so caught up in preparing for the future that we forget how to live in the present.
Finding Me
As I gaze out the window, I am reflecting on what has transpired in my short life so far and realize that it has been a mixed bag of all kinds of emotions, situations and circumstances.
Cut From a Different Cloth
You’ve heard it before, right? If you’ve been around long enough, it’s been said about you or someone you know. “She’s not ‘wife material.’” Or maybe you’ve heard its favourable opposite: “Now that’s ‘wife material.’”
Queen of the Jungle
There is an African proverb that says, “No matter the economy of the jungle, the lion will never eat grass.”I know you’ve probably heard it all before. Things aren’t the same as they used to be in the good old days. Jobs are scarce. Men? They don’t make them like they used to!
Protecting Your BFF
First question. Have you ever eavesdropped on a conversation between two people, where one is going off on the other? I mean, straight disrespect, cruelty even, venom dripping off every word. When this happens, often times, we get the urge to rush to the other party’s defense, even if we don’t know the whole story.
Green Eyes
Evict her from your head space, she’s no friend of yours. What good has she ever done you? All she does is magnify what you don’t have and take for granted what you do. She shifts your focus from yourself onto others and never appreciates your accomplishments, your intelligence, your beauty, your strength.
Fitness and Wellness Coach Discusses Keys to Positive Body Image and Why Size Isn’t a Factor
Body image is something many women struggle with in a world where “beauty” – defined by mainstream media – is unattainable for many.
Testing the Unknown
Two liquids. Both clear, colourless and odourless. One is vital to the health of human tissue; the other corrodes human tissue. One is water, the other, hydrochloric acid.
The Journey is as Important as the Destination
There are times when it seems easier to just fit in and live according to others’ opinion, even when it’s far from what you want. I still don’t understand how one gets to this point of desperacy where being true to one’s self is suddenly not satisfactory, and the rest of the world has to determine your every step. It’s not that difficult to just go with the flow, but it is diff
Be Your Own Fan
Sometimes your life will take an unexpected turn and everything and everyone around you will seem new. Your story suddenly changes and not everyone will understand or believe you. Your transformation is questioned all the time and your testimony is based on other people’s success or failure stories. The truth is, some stories are hard to share and can only be explained after an
Beauty Has Nothing To Do With Size
Did you know that according to DoSomething.Org roughly 91 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies and turn to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape? What’s also interesting is that a mere 5 percent of women naturally have the body type often portrayed in the media.
A Closed Mouth Doesn't Get Fed
I think I am one of the few people who are intrigued by things that least fascinate others. I am reminded of that frequently and often end up thinking that I am weird. Weird or not, I am who I am today because of that – the woman who draws lessons from everything and everyone around her. In fact, some of my greatest life’s lessons have been drawn from toddlers while they were c
Learning to Appreciate Detours
Anytime a road is in need of repair or is otherwise deemed unfit for use, a detour sign is used to redirect traffic. The cause for a detour isn’t always apparent. Sometimes a road is closed due to construction. Other times the reason is an accident or natural disaster. Whether the cause is known or not, having to diverge from your preferred route when you least expect it is fru
Fear Tells a Lot of Lies
There are some things in life that are simple. We just complicate them because we’re afraid to explore our capabilities. So many things we proclaim we're unable to deliver are just a result of our limited imagination. We don’t fail because we cannot do something. We fail because we have destined ourselves to fail. This reminds me of my final year in high school. The whole schoo
What I Wish the Younger Me Knew About Acceptance
Over the years, I’ve struggled with acceptance. I’ve always waited for someone...anyone to say to me, “I accept you with all your flaws and shortcomings; I accept you as you are.” I’ve wanted to hear those words ever since I was a little girl. I wish I could have told you that as a grown woman, I no longer crave those words, but that would be a lie. My heart still yearns for to
“No” Isn’t a Dirty Word
Today I was reminded of an important lesson I learnt a few years ago when my kids were younger. I probably shouldn’t say learnt because I’m still learning to apply this lesson accordingly, which makes me concerned about my ability to learn… Anyway, the lesson was on learning to say “no”. When my kids were toddlers they had no trouble expressing their disapproval. I was often am
No, Thanks...I Don't Wear Labels
Society has created certain standards for us that dictate the way we live, dress, who we are and what we believe in. These standards have led many women to stay in situations they weren’t meant to be in, and remain silent when abused. In the society we live in, a woman is supposed to get an education, get married, have children and take care of her family. This is how you earn
You Are Not Your Mistakes
A trial never affects two people the same way. Some come out on the other side with visible scars, others are barely scratched and only they know what they have been through, and some have no story to tell at all. The same can be said of a woman’s life. There are situations where they simply can’t hide their mistakes - while men seem to walk away scott free - no matter how hard
The Thing About Value
The 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S has a base value of $420,000. Many factors were taken into account when the price was considered — like speed, design, power, the brand, and the amount of work put into creating the model. The manufacturer determined the value of the car. It would be completely ludicrous for Lamborghini, after designing and assembling the Aventador S, to ask Toy
Spoiler Alert: The 'Right Time' You've Been Waiting For Isn't Coming
I never understood why some people are so concerned with pushing others to seize certain opportunities when they can see how much you’re struggling in your current situation. Quite often they say, “If you keep waiting for the right time, it may never come.” I didn’t understand it until the day I was in a situation where the right time just wasn’t presenting itself. Having dropp
These Eyes
They're brown and ordinary, but if you pay close attention you'll see much more. Behind every gaze is a story. Deep in my soul is a dominant emotion. An emotion that can only be revealed through my eyes. Look into these eyes and they will inform you. They reflect my soul. They will tell you so much about me in this moment - more than I had hoped to reveal. Though my lips deceiv
Second Chances - Grab that Opportunity
It’s quite sad how we are sometimes so quick to conclude that we have failed in life when we still have a whole life ahead of us. There is a general misconception that if we don’t get our way the first time, we have failed. As a result, many dreams remain unfulfilled. I’ve refused to subscribe to this line of thinking and believe that as long as I'm alive, I still have a second
The Day I Earned My First Few Dollars
Many people ask me how I made it at a very tender age, how I got to know I was talented and how my work commanded so much respect despite my age. I always tell them that this was no miracle. My childhood was mainly dominated by an inferiority complex. I was obsessed with proving I was good enough, so I made sure that a day didn’t go by without acquiring a new skill and perfecti
Stop Chasing the Wrong Dream
From the tender age of four, the spirit of competitiveness was instilled in me. I remember spelling contests and memory tests were held each time we had family gatherings. At times it would go as far as comparing end of term school reports, and the one who scored the best in all subjects would be rewarded. The first time I lost, I cried myself to sleep and felt humiliated. Bein
Self - The Common Denominator
Source: American Association of University Women
