For most of my teenage years, I was patiently (read: desperately) waiting for the day my boobs would finally arrive. Well, I’m 24 now, and I can confidently say… I’m still waiting.

I remember being so jealous of my friends who were already rocking bras before we even made it to high school. At one point, I even stuffed socks in my shirt just to see what it would feel like to be a “grown woman” (spoiler: not comfortable). For years, I saved up for a potential boob job, convinced that one day, I’d make it happen. But somewhere along the way, I stopped obsessing over it. Maybe even started appreciating my small rack. I mean, no boob pain during workouts? No backaches? The ability to wear cute bralettes all day, every day? Kind of a win. My mom always told me bigger boobs wouldn’t suit my frame anyway (which, okay, rude—but also, fair point).

But here’s the thing: if it’s not boobs, it’s something else. I don’t know a single person who hasn’t struggled with their body image at some point. Some of my friends weigh themselves daily and are hyper-aware of everything they eat. Others are still working off their #coronakilos. Some stress about their stretch marks, their hair, their skin tone, their breakouts, their teeth—literally something.

For me, body image issues hit hardest when I was writing my thesis. I was stress-snacking like it was an Olympic sport, and for the first time ever, I didn’t fit into my favorite jeans. Since I loved those jeans (and, let’s be real, didn’t want to spend money on new ones), I tried calorie counting. And my verdict? It completely ruined the joy of eating. If calorie counting works for you, that’s amazing—seriously, props to you! But for me? I went from enjoying breakfast to meticulously tallying every rogue goji berry. The fun was gone, the obsession was real, and my patience lasted about a week before I called it quits. Guess the jeans will just have to wait for their comeback tour.

That said, I do think some level of balance is key (#moderationnotdeprivation). For example, I stopped binge-snacking and saved treats for the weekends instead. It might sounds rough but if you’re also dealing with binge-eating, I highly recommend this—it makes your snacks feel like a reward, not just an automatic response to stress.

At the end of the day, please remember: you are not the number on the scale, your acne, or your stretch marks. A little discipline goes a long way, but life is too short to skip the rich, chocolate-dripping, soul-soothing desserts—or to be your own worst critic every time you look in the mirror.

Eat the cake. Love the body. Keep going. 💛

What’s one insecurity about your body or appearance that you’re ready to let go of?