Small yansh got the accolade it deserved last year, but there are a lot more things slim girls are made to feel insecure about. In this article, Irene jay tells us how to rock being a slim babe in Nigeria with pride.
1. Value yourself first
Raise your head up and own the room when you walk in. No one can love you more than you. People can say you have such a pretty face, but if you’re not content with yourself, the complements fade. Love the collarbone you’re hiding, wiggle your small butt when the other girls are out on the dance floor. Don’t spend your whole life second-guessing yourself before you walk into a room. You’re too special to feel so little.
2. Say no to silly jokes
Nigerians struggle with boundaries but you need to enforce them — especially to the people in your life. Being slim is not a free pass to be the butt of every joke. If the flat-ass jokes are getting too much, tell them to stop. If they don’t, then that relationship isn’t worth it. Babe, cut them off until they learn to respect you.
3. Get over secondary school
Focus on the present. Let that scared little girl from JSS1 go. It’s normal to lose a bit of confidence when you see other girls going through puberty at a faster rate than you — girls were moving from bra tops to proper big girl bras, getting more attention from the boys and you felt left out. I understand the feeling and it’s okay, but half of those girls also felt ugly for different reasons. Free yourself from the shackles of secondary school insecurities, you’re beautiful, now and always.
4. You don’t have to be a model
Are we in Nigeria if someone doesn’t ask whether you’re a model every five minutes? However, that’s not a reason to chase a career in modelling. It was a way for me to earn money on the side in university and it’s blossomed into a career for me, but that doesn’t have to be the same journey for you. Your slenderness doesn’t automatically translate to a modelling career.
5. Work out if you want to
Girl, if you want to work out, work out. Anyone saying you’ll disappear is simply projecting their lack of discipline and insecurities about their body on you. Tune out the noise. Focus on the goals you have for your body, because those 30 minutes of jumping jacks will do a lot for your confidence.
6. Enjoy food
You need to stop being overly focused on eating food to gain weight. You have to love your body for it to do what you want it to. Enjoy your meals and feel healthy. Savour the taste in every bite. Find meals you love and cook them if you’re not as lazy as I am. At the end of the day, you just need to trust your body and treat it with love.
7. Stop worrying about collar bones
Repeat after me: baggy clothes do not make me look better. Dress for your size. Don’t allow anyone to tell you that your jeans make you look too skinny or that a dress makes your collar bone pop out. Accentuate your assets babe. Those legs are fire; rock mini skirts and flaunt it. Your small boobs would look so good in a dress with a deep plunge line. And your back? Girl, if you don’t have a dress that shows off your back, then you’re not living. Let your body lead the way. Stop holding it back.
8. The right partner will come
While loving yourself is important, your partner needs to gas you up as well. Don’t settle. If they make you feel insecure in fitted outfits, please dump them. There should be no room in your life for a relationship that makes you feel small. If they can’t grab the ass you have and be happy, they should pack their bags and leave.
9. When the right partner finally shows up, get out of your head
You’re not too skinny to be hot. Let your partner hold you. Get out of your head and enjoy the moment. No, your butt is not too hard. No, your laps are not too skinny. Let them pull you close, lift you up — just get out of your head to enjoy it. Yes, the plus-size babes are voluptuous hotties but don’t downplay your flexibility. Trust your body in all its slimness and revel in its beauty.
