Hello Friends,

You and I have, at some point, grumbled incessantly about stuff like these – it could have happened last month, last week, or even just five minutes ago! We never quite forgave ourselves for those flaws in our physical structure called imperfections.  Most of us strive to become the person of what fashion magazines, movies, or pop culture in general proclaim as the “ideal physique of man”. The ideal meant good looks, prominence of height, well-toned bodies, and the like. Lacking in one or more of these qualities suggests that you aren’t qualified to be with the elite who dominate the world because ‘the world’ considers them elegant and glamorous – simply, they are ‘perfect’. So we do what we can to prove them wrong. It’s easy to see because it’s everywhere around us. Ladies copy the latest fashion trend, while men attempt to look and act what they think is the ‘in’ thing. And there’s always the beauty products and modern technology to work everything else out. No, nothing wrong with doing these – every person has the right to do so. The question is, “For what real purpose is it about?” Has society been so judgmental, so vainglorious that it casts its eyes down to anyone who doesn’t meet their expectations? Do we have to punish ourselves – by not valuing time, money, and self-worth – for something only temporary?

Imperfection is normal. No one escapes it – not even the most well-bred. We are only human. Or in a more philosophical sense, perhaps we were meant to be created this way, to counterbalance what we have and what we don’t have.

When you closely look at it, imperfection is not such a big deal. It’s what’s in you that truly counts. Does perfection even exist? Most of the greatest people that ever lived were recognized for their remarkable achievements, not for how they look like. And besides, if all in this world were perfect, nothing will be regarded with appreciation anymore. A flaw actually makes an object look more appealing and precious, because you see the finer features beneath.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The standard of beauty is left to the individual, there is no absolute criterion. We must not let the media or fashion magazines or anyone else dictate to us how we must look like or what we must become; the matter is in our hands. Instead of being insecure about our flaws, we must focus on our strengths and capabilities. Show the world what we’ve got. We must improve, not undermine ourselves.

Also remember that external beauty will eventually fade away. Looks, fame, fortune – they’re not the answer to everything, and neither are they the key to happiness and security. What constantly remains is the beauty within. Kindness is far better than attractiveness. Sure, a face can launch a thousand ships, but a heart can touch the whole world. Take time to notice things that seem mediocre – warmness, joy, simplicity. It is in there that real beauty lies.

In the words of George Orwell: “The essence of being human is one that does not seek perfection.”

Sincerely,
Herschel

Message from us here at TMOOH: You are all storytellers and your stories are powerful. Sharing what’s on your heart and mind whether it’s a tale of triumph, struggle, or hope, can impact others in unimaginable ways. If you feel compelled to share your story, we’d love to hear from you, send us your story to: story@tmooh.com. Thanks to you all for reading and for continuing the conversation.

Hi TMOOH,

This company is a great way to bring awareness to body image.
Having dealt with my share of body image issues, this was a great way to feel like I am not alone.  I am in high school now and have been dealing with eating disorders for around five years now. Having an older sister, I always looked to her to be my role model.  Therefore when she got skinnier I would feel the same need to drop weight.

I always felt out of place in a town that focused so much on body image.  I felt like nobody else was going through my same struggles to be small.  What I realize now is, I was small.  I have been a size small all my life, but the constant pressure has changed my physique.  After watching, counting, and purging everything I ate, I became paranoid and instead started gaining weight.

Since I am a cheerleader this was especially tough.  Part of the sport is being thin, so it is easy to tumble and stunt.  When i gained 15 pounds in a matter of months I went into a severe depression.  Thankfully after support from friends I have overcome my disease and am regaining a HEALTHY weight.

It’s causes like these that help people like me.  I am so thankful for this, because this could save someone’s life.  I have wanted to design clothing with a good cause like this for a future career and am now even more motivated to do so.

Thank you all,
Megan

Oh, the beloved fourteenth of February,

So many eagerly await your arrival after fond memories from years past.  How can we forget the way you effortlessly bring so many couples closer together, how you help out friendly card companies, florists, and chocolatiers during an economic downturn, and, of course, how you so kindly remind the majority of us that we are without a special someone.  Thank you for the reminder.  This year shall be another without a formal date and you know what? I am totally fine with the situation.

I’ve seen something recently in many relationships, that I am certainly not immune to, which is our desire to validate our own worth in the soul of another.  Simply, we feel content and complete when we are in a relationship but the minute that it is over we freak out and feel incomplete.  Now, I can’t necessarily hypothesize or diagnose why this is, but I believe it comes down to idea of self-love.  If you don’t truly love yourself and feel content being single, it will be difficult to facilitate a healthy and functional relationship with another person.  In relationships, we can often find ourselves unsettled or unhappy, attempting to fill a void that is far deeper than another person could possibly fill.

So, my friends, if you feel alone, incomplete, or inadequate because you may not have a significant other, take time to reflect upon your life.  Inquire within as to why those feelings arise and make necessary steps to address the deeper issues that exist. For each of us this will appear differently.  Learn to love yourself.  Feel content with your present situation, resolving that you don’t need to validate your worth through another person.  When that happens, you will be able to approach relationships that come your way with a healthy frame of mind, finding a deeper sense of joy and contentment that may never previously unveiled itself.

With Contentment,

Brett

TMOOH,

I want to start off by saying thank you. Thank you for being a shining light in an industry saturated with harmful messages and innuendos. You have taken a stand against a monster of a problem in our world today, and I applaud you for that.

I along with millions of girls have at one point in my life struggled with my own body image. We live in a society where priority and importance lies in how we are perceived on the outside. I was quickly influenced by society’s narrow definition of beauty and found myself overwhelmed with high expectations and impossible goals. I felt my life was spinning out of control and I turned to an eating disorder to give me a false sense of control over my body and situation. I struggled with this eating disorder for over a year, and it accomplished absolutely nothing other than rob me from valuable time that I could have spent loving myself and working on productive ways to become a better person. Years have passed since that period in my life and I am constantly reminded of it because of the unfortunate popularity of the issue amongst young people today.

TMOOH, you have created a safe haven for those struggling with self love, insecurity, and body image issues. Not only are you creating products that promote healthy body image, but you have also built a community of people that are there to support each other and help carry this burden we all struggle with at some point in our lives. You are doing amazing things and are changing this world for the better every day that goes by.

There is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling in life than to truly understand that we were wonderfully made. Love yourself for who you are and what you will become and everything else will fall into place.

Always,
Me

Hello TMOOH,

I just wanted to commend you for your focus on healthy body image. The unhealthy images our society portrays not only influences what we women unrealistically expect for ourselves, but also what many men view as attractive in return. Bringing more healthy/realistic body images to the forefront helps us all find better balance and encourages us to find a healthy middle ground to live in.

I have spent my life as the epitome of ‘big boned’ – tall, broad shouldered and big footed – which led to years of struggling with my body image. Although, in some ways I consider myself lucky. Though I severely struggled with body image in my teens and early 20s, I was finally able to come to terms with my body. The ‘American ideal’ is physically impossible for me, and so I’m happy with keeping myself healthy and fit. Moderate exercise and healthy eating makes my life pretty good, and I feel good about myself even if I still fall into the ‘plus size’ category. Many of my thinner friends still struggle with scales and strict exercise and diet regimes – in that I’m lucky, I get to have a healthy relationship with those and my body, I’m ok with me as me.

Thanks again for having such a wonderful mission.

Sincerely,
Anna

I am very inspired by the vision of TMOOH. It’s so refreshing to see a clothing brand that promotes positive body image rather than the distorted view of beauty that we are constantly bombarded with by the media. The thing that no one realizes is that as long as you have a healthy body, you should be happy there. Yes, being obese can be unhealthy, but so can being too skinny.

I never had an eating disorder, never gone on a diet, or tried to lose weight in any way. I’ve always had a high metabolism, and especially when I was younger, I was tall, but skinny. People often asked if I had an eating disorder, and even though I was healthy, it really bothered me. I wanted to be normal. I subconsciously started eating a lot more, especially junk food. I was trying to gain weight. As far as weight goes, nothing changed, but I felt a lot more unhealthy. Over time I realized that even though I’m thin, I’m also healthy, and I am completely okay with the way I am. God created me this way and I shouldn’t try to change it through unhealthy means. I feel great about my body, and I hope that TMOOH can spread positive body image all over.

Thanks for impacting people!

-Monika

Healthy body image is becoming a conversation topic in many media outlets. How is airbrusing used and do we want to know? Is the label “plus sized” or “curvy” necessary when using models of varying body shapes and sizes? While I think the conversations are great, they seems to be very focused on size, but what about age?

From left, Yohji Yamamoto, agnès b., Ann Demeulemeester.
Photo: imaxtree, Getty Images, imaxtree

My grandmother just turned 79 this past weekend and I couldn’t help but think about age and getting old after talking with her. Do I appreciate the beauty that comes with age? Will I learn to love my body as it changes, or forever attempt to remain youthful in appearance?

While I often feel like I can’t maintain the “ideal” body- I wonder how my grandmother feels. Does she ever see wrinkles, white hair and pale skin celebrated or displayed in the newspaper, on TV or on the magazine display rack? I think she is beautiful not because she looks like she is 30, but because she looks like she is 79.

What would a healthy body image look like at any age?

Hello, my name is Caela.

I have been watching Survivor forever, and after the finale I decided to look Brett up, and I learned that he had a teeshirt company. I saw this website, and I absolutely loved it. I have always been worried about my appearence and how I look, I’ve even tried starving myself and I used to cut myself before, because of wanting to look a certain way. But after seeing this website, it made me feel so good about myself. This project truly is amazing, and I want to say thank you.

-Caela

beauty within the slum [a scene from africa] from JJ Starr on Vimeo.

I was reminded this morning that beauty is not just a conversation about what we wear, what size models we think magazines should display or what we find physically appealing or attractive. Beauty can be found in an attitude, a way of life. Our friend JJ has been filming in Africa and as I looked through his videos while eating breakfast this morning, I was struck by the title of this one.

“beauty within the slum”

Here is what JJ had to say about this video, “so far on my many journeys through Uganda and Kenya my favorite part has been this short video. This kid lives in the Namuwangu Slum just outside of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. He’s blind but is well known by all the people who work and live within in the slums as a “ray of sunshine”. Upon meeting him he wanted to play his harmonica for us, and what follows is beautiful. Thanks to someone he will probably never meet he was able to receive money to attend a special needs school outside of the slum.”

Thanks for the reminder, JJ. Beauty is bigger than a size, our clothes or an appearance.

Where do you find beauty in your life?

Hey guys,

I just wanted to say that I love your company and I admire the positive message that you are sending out to people about body image.

I am in my second year of College and I can’t remember a time that I wasn’t made fun of because I am not what magazines consider beautiful, mainly because I am not the skinniest person. Because of the way people have treated me it makes it hard for me to have confidence in myself and the way I look. There have been many times when I would come home from school and sit in my room crying because I felt like I would never be good enough to be considered beautiful.

But finding your website and reading all the positive messages you post made me smile. I look at your site all the time because knowing that there are people out there who believe in inner beauty gives me the strength to get out of bed in the morning and smile when i see my reflection instead of trying to avoid looking at it.

Thanks for everything you guys do,
Amanda

Creative commons image by edastrauch/flickr