Lauren | Wheeling, WV

Images by Rebecca Kiger

"Before this project, I was preoccupied with the things that I thought were ugly or wrong with my body. I imagined my life would be better if or when I was different. I was not kind or loving to myself. I was not living in the present. I wasn't really in my body."

From Lauren:

"Before this project, I was preoccupied with the things that I thought were ugly or wrong with my body. I imagined my life would be better if or when I was different. I was not kind or loving to myself. I was not living in the present. I wasn't really in my body. 

I want to be grateful for my body. I want to acknowledge the miraculous ways it makes me take every step, word, thought, taste etc. for granted! I want to make peace with the old image of what it should be in order to be accepted by society and myself. I want to love it and be whole. 

I still need to be conscious of negative voices, and the tendency to become cerebral instead of being grounded and breathing. I need to remember to breathe. Be grateful. Be in awe of my beautiful unique body. Be okay with being unhappy or vain sometimes. Also really let myself be seen at this photo shoot. Freeing and paralyzing at points; that is what it is like to be in my body. Sometimes amazing, sometimes painful! I just need to remain connected and thankful.  I hope the compassion and hope I feel after doing this project remains and grows into a greater love of self."

-- Lauren

Images of Lauren by Rebecca Kiger.