‘I was staring at my massive basket of pre-kids clothes I refuse to throw out. ‘My body size can change.’: Woman struggling with body positivity says ‘I don’t exist to fit clothes, they exist to fit me’

“Going through my wardrobe, I have a massive basket of pre-kids’ clothes I am refusing to throw out or donate.

Mostly because they’re amazing and I know my body size can change, and I’d like to wear them again.

Maybe it’s some subconscious desperate cling to me before kids’ body, I don’t know.

I had a couple of pairs of jeans and tight-fitting jeans and was staring at them, wondering if I should just bag them up and donate them.

I thought about what it would mean to do that… is it giving up? Meaning I’ll never be society’s perception of close to beautiful again because I’m not a size 4 anymore? Does it mean I am giving in to it by keeping it?

My husband saw me staring at them.

He said, ‘Don’t overthink it. Do what you want to do. You’re beautiful, and not just because of your outside but because of your inside too. You had three children. Your body has changed, your hips are probably wider, and that’s not a bad thing. You have the body of a mother and please take that as a compliment, because it is.’

My heart skipped a beat.

Having a body that is a mother’s body is probably the best blessing I could ever have.

I am lucky to have wider hips and stretch marks! I am.

I can buy the same brand jeans — but a size that fits my body. I don’t exist to fit into clothes. They exist to fit me… and they come along for the ride of the beautiful journey I am on.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Laura Mazza. Follow Laura on Instagram here. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

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