"We put our life on hold, we stunt it, because of our bodies."
That's the startling truth blogger and speaker Jes Baker shared in a May 2014 TEDx talk. Speaking on the topic of body love and self-acceptance, Baker reveals that most 10-year-olds are more afraid of getting fat than getting cancer or losing both of their parents. People put off things as small as buying new jeans and as important as asking for a raise until they've lost that weight, believing their bodies aren't good enough as is. Her conclusion? Something's gotta give.
"The creation of this presentation happened the moment I realized that loving your body could have international impact," Baker told The Huffington Post in an email. "I spend countless hours researching the larger issue of bodies, talking to medical professionals, and getting my statistics straight. And the beautiful thing that [comes] out of it [is] a clear understanding that body love [is] a global necessity."
Baker's reasoning? That body insecurity hinders personal and professional productivity -- and so the world is a better place without it. In her own words, "the way we view our bodies determines the way we participate in the world."
Baker began blogging as a way to share her personal journey of acceptance, with the hope of creating an inclusive body-love community.
"We are definitely in this together, no matter your size," Baker told HuffPost. "Every single one of us resides in a society that profits from telling us that we are not enough. It's powerful to know that you share in this; it makes it easier to refuse the status quo."
As for what you can do to start your self-love journey, watch the full video above to find out.
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