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We’ve all had less-than-flattering photos taken, whether in a wedding, a friend’s birthday party, or on a family vacation. Whenever we look back at these?snapshots, they should trigger happy memories. But for the majority of us,?the sad fact is, poor lighting or perhaps a “bad” angle can rob us of the joy we felt within the moment.
One blogger is drawing attention to this familiar issue,?and putting her foot down.?Dorothy Beal, creator of the blog?Mile Posts, is a run coach and 32-time marathoner. Her photo continues to be snapped by photography lovers on courses countless times, and as anyone who’s ever had?a picture drawn in the center of a good work out would ever guess, mid-race?photos aren’t always pretty.
Over the weekend Beal posted two of her pics from the recent half marathon on Instagram. On the right, she looks happy and powerful. Around the left, she looks tired and sweaty. When Beal first saw the photo on the left, she forgot all her positive memories from that race in an instant.
Let's come on with one another again… ?? I'm reposting this here since i think all of us can agree that we are worth more than the usual photo captured in a race. Too many people let a single photo steal joy – the truth is – it's a single photo and that we have to take back any energy that photo steals ?? #Repost @womensrunningmagazine ??? @mileposts here ?? Let's get real with each other for a second shall we!? What percentage of you have let a race photo steal joy from you?? Both of these race photos were taken on within 24 hours at the same race. In a single I looked happy and strong as well as in the other I was left questioning if there was part of my body that didn't have cellulite. This race at some points sucked for me – I acquired sick – threw up before crossing the finish line and had possibly my slowest 13.1 time ever – but post race the sucky feelings faded and that i recall the day being fun – drinking wine with friends after, joking how wine cures all. If you had inquired about after if I had a great time I’d have agreed!! I still felt that way in the days following a race UNTIL I saw the photo around the left after which insecurity occur and that i thought about how that day wasn’t fun. But that's silly, since it was fun…A race photo is ONE SINGLE instant and I let one of these steal joy from me. Most times we don't look great in the end run, but that's not why we run anyways, we go to Seem like I look in the photo around the right – HAPPY. Don't let a photo steal joy – you’re worth so much more than one split second – moment in time. #irunthisbody @ihavearunnersbody #whstrong
“I was left questioning if there is a part of my body that did not have cellulite,” she wrote within the caption. But Beal was determined not to let one unflattering image bring her down, or change her memory of what was really a fun and celebratory day.
“A race photo is a SINGLE moment in time and that i let one of these steal joy from me,” Beal said. “Most times we do not look wonderful while we run, but that is not why we run anyways, we go to Seem like I try looking in the photo on the right – HAPPY.”
Still, it invested some time for Beal to operate up the courage to talk about both images.?”I’ve had each of those pictures stitched together waiting to post for months now,” she explained in an email to Health. “But each time I went to post them there is this little voice of self-doubt that explained to not for fear of judgment.”
The response she’s received to date (including nearly three thousand likes) has been overwhelmingly positive. Many?individuals have commented that they’ll relate, and several runners have asserted everybody have let race photos make sure they are feel insecure. All of them appreciate Beal’s simple message:?”Don’t let a photograph steal joy – you are worth a lot more than one split second – moment in time.”
About a year ago, Beal created an?Instagram account to promote body positivity?called?ihavearunnersbody. But as?she points out, self-acceptance is often easier in theory. “I’ll be the first to admit that although it’s easy to preach it, it’s very hard to really, truly at the core accept is as true and love yourself regardless of what you appear like,” she?says.
Posting her side-by-side photos for the world to determine actually took?take the power away from them, she says. “I’m not likely to say I don’t seem like the woman around the left. I actually do. However i also look like the girl around the right! I am a strong woman running 13.1 miles. I believe whenever we share our vulnerable side it allows others to complete the same,” Beal explains.?
“The the next time someone sees a photo they dislike, I hope they remember my post and say ‘Yep, is a common occurance,'” she says. “The only thing a race photo should let you know is that you are available kicking butt doing a task that improves your lifetime in so many ways!”?
