Maganda ka hindi dahil sa iyong physical na katangian. Maganda dahil mahal mo ang sarili mo. Maganda ka dahil marunong ka makipag-kapwa tao. Maganda ka dahil ikaw yan.
Our Gandang Pinoy campaign celebrates every Filipino’s beauty, inside and out. Loving yourself isn’t always an easy thing to do, but you’re not alone. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, so we had a livestream to discuss our different ideas of “natural beauty” and learning to accept our natural selves as beautiful. Find out our key takeaways from fellow Gandang Pinoys Angela Carpio, Krish Catapang, and Swen Koffa on what beauty is to them, and how they’ve learned to accept their beautiful selves inside and out.
Watch their recorded FB livestream here!
Natural Beauty
Today’s society demands so much of us – it demands we change ourselves to fit into “the norm,” even at the cost of our own happiness. Swen Koffa has been working as a call center agent, a plus size model, and so much more, but she also works on accepting herself everyday. She says it’s something that’s easier said than done, but at the end of the day, people will judge you no matter what, so it’s up to you to accept yourself and know what matters most to you – this is what matters most.
Changing Ourselves for Others
We all do our best to love ourselves, but it isn’t always easy. There’s always an urge to judge ourselves for the little flaws we have, but most of these aren’t as noticeable as we think.
Jecka Calacal on societal pressures and how they make us unhappy
During the livestream, Jecka Calacal commented, “We tend to be pressured to change ourselves because of what other people say to us.” Similarly, while learning self-love, Krish says that she had her fair share of insecurities, her biggest one being weight gain especially during the pandemic.
Overcoming Insecurities
It took a while for her to overcome her insecurities, and she still struggles with them occasionally, but the things that have helped her the most have started from realizing the importance of self-care. Krish powers through tough days by journaling, working out regularly, and even using her favourite All is Well Roll-On Oil to give a quick sense of relief. Overall, her main self-care tip is to put yourself first.
Loving Yourself Inside and Out
Kitin Cariaga on reclaiming “Volcano
Life will always have its ups and downs, but our bodies will always get us through it all, so let’s cherish ourselves. We deserve to be seen, be loved, and be cared for – and it’s our job to recognize our worth. There will always be harsh words from others that we may carry with us from childhood to adulthood, but as one of our livestream commenters, Kitin Cariaga, has shared, choose to look towards the positive side of things.
As you recognize your worth, you, too, can be powerful and change lives. Be kind, be loving, be beautiful. We are all beautiful inside and out as long as we choose to embody it.
What’s your story? Tell us the things that have made you feel beautiful in our comment section below!