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 We recently caught up with Sabine, Founder of Core Confidence, to find out a bit more about what they do and her thoughts and advice on loving yourself. Core Confidence brings together the benefits of both Movement and Mindfulness to promote body esteem and wellbeing for teens through workshops and mentoring.

What does body positivity mean to you?

Body positivity to me means living my life (mostly!) free of worry or concern about my size, shape or what I look like. This isn't a constant state of mind but rather a choice I get to make in each moment.  And sometimes on occasion I don't choose the body positive choice. For me it's equally as important to recognize when I'm not feeling 100% positive about whatever it may be (breakouts on skin, fit of clothes etc) and not judging myself for feeling that way. This might seem anti - body positivity but it's totally not! Just like it's unreasonable to expect every day in our lives to be sunny and carefree, I think it's unreasonable to expect ourselves to be body positive ALL the time.

Have there been times in your life when you’ve struggle with your body image? If so how did you overcome this?

Yup! My lowest point of body esteem was between the ages of 19 - 22. There was a lot of factors involved (moving towns, new relationship etc etc) but at the crux of it my low body esteem was a projection of me not feeling good enough. This thought pattern led me to behaviours which saw the development of an eating disorder. This is an extreme end of low body esteem but one which sadly many of Australians are facing. I overcame my disorder by seeking medical help. Finding a therapy that worked for me (group!) and professionals who I connected with. This was a lot harder than I thought. I was studying Physiotherapy at the time and I thought I was an expert on what my body needed but this was far from the case. Google wasn’t helping the situation either. The Butterfly Foundation helpline (1800 33 4673) is a great resource to tap into if any of your readers are struggling. I am very thankful that my family encouraged me to reach out and talk, even whilst I was in denial about what was going on.

How do you feel your best?

By talking! As an extrovert I need to talk - about everything and anything. It helps me think and get rid of negative feelings. Secondly, by moving my body. Taking my dog for a walk or doing some simple stretches on my home office floor all put a smile on my dial (Bonus points for moving my body and talking at the same time haha).

Have you made changes in your life that have helped you on your journey to body-positivity?

One HUGE thing for me was getting off social media. Giving myself a break from comparing every bit of myself and my life with a friend’s instagram reel, influencers filtered vlog or celeb living-the-high-life snapchat. I think it’s about time I have one of these “detox’s” again!

The second is practising gratitude. Listing a few things I am grateful for each night really helps put body image into perspective. Perspective is key!

Tell us about Core Confidence and the idea behind it

I started Core Confidence because of my own issues with low body esteem, lack of self love and feeling completely alone in my struggles throughout it all. I wish I’d known even just a little about what an inner critic is, what self care rituals can do and the importance of mindfulness amongst a multitude of other lessons I’ve learnt via my journey, my qualification and from other experts.  Core Confidence aims to equip young people to feel empowered, confident and in love with who they are today. We combine the benefits of movement with the practise of mindfulness at our workshops, events, social media pages and soon to come online course to promote Self Love and Self Acceptance amongst a supportive community.  I just don’t want anyone to feel the loneliness that I did.

That’s why supporting campaigns such as #etelove is so important to me. Not only is the campaign raising money for important service providers but it’s also spreading much needed awareness on topics very close to my heart that impact almost all of us. Thank you :)

How can we all use movement in our daily lives to improve self image?

By firstly letting go of this notion that we must move our bodies to lose weight, tone up or look good in a bikini. In my opinion that’s forcing exercise from a place of fear. One of the greatest things I’ve learnt is to move my body from a place of love. Finding what I enjoy and listening to what my body needs. Whether this is a walk, group Pilates session, High Intensity Training, swim at the ocean, stretch in the living room, or sometimes - nothing… the list is endless. From this place of love we can then start to appreciate our body for all the amazing things it does rather than focusing on what it looks like.

What 3 tips would you give to someone about embracing the body they have?

1. Accept that embracing your body doesn’t necessarily mean having to love it 100% all of the time. Just like we love our families/boyfriends/girlfriends/friends/pets despite their flaws and annoyances - so too can we love ourselves.
2. Surround yourself with people who talk less about the latest diet they’re on and more about what epic adventure they’re planning or challenge they are overcoming.
3. Remember: Your body is simply a vessel for your greatness. Just be you.

See more from Sabine on her Instagram @core_confidence_ and website 

For more #EteLove stories read our Q&A with Ete Swimwear Founder Jess

To help support the Positive Body Image movement, we are donating 100% of Profits from the sale of our Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts to the Butterfly Foundation and ProjectHEAL - Shop the T-Shirts here (as worn by Sabine)

We absolutely adore Sydney Ness, LA Model, so we just had to sit down with her to dig a little deeper into her thoughts on body positivity and her journey with it. 

What does body positivity mean to you?

Have there been times in your life when you've struggled with your body image? If so, how did you overcome this?

Absolutely! I think it's very normal to feel insecure about your body at times. It took me a very long time to be grateful for the body that I have. 

A few years ago I struggled with my eating in a very negative way. At first I honestly didn't realize I wasn't eating. I was going through an extremely stressful time in my life and always felt sick to my stomach and didn't feel like eating. I started to lose some weight and people started to take notice. Boys I used to have crushes on in high school were telling me how great I looked now that I was losing weight.

There was so much going on in my life that I had absolutely no control of and I realized I could control that I didn't eat so I could continue to get the positive response from people around me. I went down a very dark path for almost a year with my eating. I couldn't work out anymore because I was too weak from not eating and I lost all of my muscle mass. I had no idea the amount of damage I was doing to myself- physically and emotionally. I lost a lot of my hair and muscle definition and my metabolism would take a few years to get back to normal.

Because I wasn't eating, I was much more irritable with the people I loved and I slowly started pushing everyone out of my life that cared about me and were concerned about my eating. I've struggled with depression and anxiety my entire life. But because I wasn't eating both of those things heightened. I was at the lowest point I've ever been at in my life. I lost 55 pounds in under 4 months. I went from a size 10-12 to a 4. But even at a size 4, I wasn't small enough to be a regular model and I almost lost my modelling career because of my disordered eating.

I had lots of people trying to help me but I didn't see that when I was going through this. At my smallest I still saw myself as huge. I honestly can't pinpoint one moment where things changed in myself. After losing my hair and damaging the relationship I had with my modelling agent and my loved ones I eventually realized I had a problem and started to see a therapist who helped me get back on track.

There's always going to be something that I wish I could change about my body. But that is very normal for most things in life- there's always something we want to change. And once we change it, there's something else we want to change. I think it's always important to focus on the positive. I'm so grateful that my body can take me on incredible hikes and I'm so grateful for my health. I focus on those things rather than things I dislike.

What do you do to help yourself feel more positive about your body?

I exercise! I do it for my mental and physical health. But I always feel better after a good workout! 

There's been times where I've had to stand in front of my mirror and list out loud the things I'm grateful for about my body to change my perspective.

Has anything changed since becoming more positive about your body?

All changes take time. I still have moments where I don't feel confident with my body.

I try and focus on how grateful I am for the body I have instead of all of my "flaws". We all create these imaginary flaws in our heads about ourselves that nobody would ever see in us. It's much easier said than done, but allowing what thoughts come into your mind about your body makes a big difference. If you allow negative thoughts into your mind and feed those negative thoughts it's much more difficult to see yourself as the beautiful person that you are.

As a model you put yourself out there frequently, how do you remain body positive in the digital & social media age?

This day and age is incredibly difficult to remain positive about my body some days. Each app you open or billboard or commercial you see is filled with beautiful people who have most likely been photoshopped. Media manipulation is a very real thing. So many ads are focused on our fundamental problem of always wanting to change ourselves. That could be something as simple as a new hair color or as dramatic as a "new you".

How often do you walk by a rack of magazines to see articles on magazine covers guaranteeing you to "lose 10 pounds in two weeks"? Why don't we see more ads and articles teaching us to love the bodies we have in two weeks? Katie Willcox, founder of Healthy is The New Skinny, really opened my eyes to how manipulative the media really is. Once you're able to realize this, it's so much easier to scroll through social media or a magazine without constantly comparing yourself!

If you could tell your younger self one thing from your loving yourself journey, what would you say?

Stop buying size 5 jeans when you're a size 7! When I was younger, I used to try and squeeze into the smallest pair of jeans that I could. I was much more concerned about the number of the size on the jeans instead of how I felt wearing them. Now I buy and wear clothes based on how they fit instead of the number.

Never in a million years would I think I would be answering body positive questions and giving advice. Loving yourself is a process, it doesn't happen overnight. Surround yourself with real friends and give energy to the people who support you and believe in you.

What tips would you give to someone about embracing the body they have?

• You can choose to focus on the good, or the bad. You can focus on what you don't have, or what you do.
• everything you see on social media and in the media isn't always reality. You can't compare your body to someone else's when their body doesn't even look like that!
• live a balanced life. It's okay to not work out everyday and eat a cupcake every once in a while.
• don't feed negative thoughts that enter your mind about your body. Dismiss them and realize you've been blessed with an incredible body and you have a lot to be grateful for.

See more from Sydney on her Instagram

For more #EteLove stories read our Q&A with Ete Swimwear Founder Jess

To help support the Positive Body Image movement, we are donating 100% of Profits from the sale of our Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts to the Butterfly Foundation and ProjectHEAL - Shop the T-Shirts here (as worn by Sydney)

We recently caught up with the Butterfly Foundation team, to find out a bit more about what they do and their thoughts and advice on loving yourself. As part of our #EteLove campaign we are donating 100% of profits from our Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful T-shirts to ProjectHEAL and the Butterfly Foundation. 

Why and when was the Butterfly foundation formed?

The Butterfly Foundation was founded in 2002 by Claire Middleton (OAM) whose two daughters experienced eating disorders.  She was shocked by the lack of services, support and effective treatment as well as the general lack of awareness and understanding within communities. Butterfly started as a group of volunteers around a kitchen table and has now grown to a National organisation with offices in Melbourne and Sydney.

What is your mission with The Butterfly Foundation? 

Butterfly’s mission is to bring about change to the culture, policy and practice in the prevention, treatment and support for all those affected by eating disorders and negative body image. We do this through several core areas; Support Services, Prevention and Education Services, Advocacy and Awareness, Treatment Service Development, Research Funding and Fundraising. One of our key aims is to breakdown stigma, encourage help seeking and ensure that sufferers receive effective treatment and support as early as possible.

Key ways you help with positive body image

Not every person who experiences body dissatisfaction will develop a clinical eating disorder, however research continues to report that when a person experiences body dissatisfaction their risk of engaging in unhealthy behaviours, particularly with food and exercise increases. Butterfly has offered prevention focused education services around Australia since 2006.  We offer educational programs and materials which are evidence based, age and developmentally appropriate, adhere to safe practice guidelines and aim to positively impact attitudes, language, behaviours and culture within peer groups, schools, communities and homes.  We offer workshops to young people (Year 3 – Year 12) and in tertiary education, peer led programs, professional trainings and seminars for parents. 

In addition to this, we run advocacy campaigns throughout the year to support our community and encourage body acceptance.

What makes The Butterfly Foundation unique?

Butterfly is the only National charity supporting all Australians with eating disorders or body image concerns – those experiencing an eating disorder, family, friends and professionals. Many people know us because of our National Helpline, but they are not aware of the scope of services we offer – including treatment services, recovery support groups, education, research and lived experience consultation.

What does body positivity mean to the Butterfly Foundation?

Body image is about feelings not about how we actually look. It is the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception. These feelings can be positive, negative or both and are influenced by individual and environmental factors. It’s about feeling comfortable in your own body – accepting, appreciating and respecting it. 

What are your top tips for others to love themselves?

We all have the power to change the way we see, feel and think about our bodies. There is no right or wrong when it comes to weight, shape size and appearance. Top tips include:

• Focusing on the positives – your skills, talents and personal qualities
• Talk to yourself like you would a best friend – quit the negative self-talk and say positive things to yourself every day
• Focusing on your body’s functionality and what it enables you to do rather than how it looks
• Setting health related goals and focus on physical and mental wellbeing rather than weight less goals
• Avoid comparing yourself to others in a negative way. Appreciate qualities in yourself and others and celebrate the fact we are all unique and different
• Remember the images we see on a daily basis are manipulated and only reflect a small minority of the population.

Tips for helping a friend who may suffer from a negative self-image?

It can be difficult to know what to say to someone struggling with poor body image.  As with most things it is better to listen and let them know that you are there for them rather than try and ‘fix’ the issue. It’s certainly not a good idea to talk negatively about your own or others bodies in an effort to make them feel better. Remind the person of all the things you love about them which probably have very little if anything to do with the way they look.  Be patient and reassure them that many people struggle with these issues and that they are able to change the way they feel. If you need advice about body image or eating disorders for yourself or a friend, you can contact our National Helpline – 1800 33 4673

Tips for staying positive and safe on social media?

At times social media can make us feel less than good about ourselves.  It’s important to be aware of what you see and how it makes you feel. If you find something triggering block, unfriend or stop following and seek to follow pages and people that make you feel empowered. You don’t have to stop using social media, but you can take greater control.

For example, taking more frequent breaks and connecting with people in real life.  It’s important to remember it’s what’s on the inside that counts and that what you see on social media is not always real. Your worth is not defined by the amount of likes you receive!

What does the future hold for The Butterfly Foundation?

We have a few things coming up to keep an eye out for:

• Expansion of our National Helpline hours, which from March will be open 7 days a week, 8am – 12am. This is fantastic news in broadening our support to the community after hours.
• Our annual awareness and advocacy campaign MAYDAYS, will be here before we know it. This takes place nationally throughout the month of MAY to raise vital funds for the prevention and treatment of eating disorders in Australia.
• Males & Body Image research is being undertaken by our Prevention Services team with the hope to build an educational program to better support males and they body image

How can people support the work of Butterfly?

• Purchase a Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts - we are donating 100% of profits from the shirts to Butterfly and ProjectHEAL
• Fundraise 
• Donate 

See more from Project Heal on their Instagram @thebutterflyfoundation and the Butterfly Foundation Website.

For more #EteLove stories read our Q&A with Kristina, Founder of ProjectHEAL

To help support the Positive Body Image movement, we are donating 100% of Profits from the sale of our Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts to the Butterfly Foundation and ProjectHEAL.

We recently caught up with Kristina, Co-Founder of the amazing non-profit organisation, Project Heal, to find out a bit more about what they do and her thoughts and advice on loving yourself. As part of our #EteLove campaign we are donating 100% of profits from our Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful T-shirts to ProjectHEAL and the Butterfly Foundation. 

What motivated you to start Project Heal? 

I started this 10 years ago when I was 15 on my own recovery from Anorexia with my co-founder Liana. The two of us met in treatment when we were 13 and really developed a healthy recovery orientated friendship.

As our own recovery started to get better, our conversations started to shift from personal body image/eating disorder issues to more broad issues centred around the idea that so many people can’t get treatment. Due to the expense and lack of insurance coverage. We thought this is horrible, we had to do something about it.

What is your mission and ultimate goal with Project Heal? 

We are now the largest grassroots eating disorder non-profit providing prevention treatment, financing, and recovery support. We have two programs the first is communities of healing which is the first peer support and mentor program for people with eating disorders.

Our second project is the treatment assistance program. We began by funding treatment for individuals who couldn’t afford it but it wasn’t a sustainable model. We have recently been enhancing our treatment assistance program to have a greater impact, serving as more of an insurance utilisation and case navigation program. While providing financial assistance with the smaller costs to help them get the care they need.

The ultimate goal is to help more people and also collect vita so we can have a great stand in reforming the system as a whole.

Tell us a little more about your body positivity journey? 

It took me 3 full years after I was at a healthy weight and eating normally that I considered myself in full recovery. That’s where I think positive body image started to kick in, up until then if you ever would have told me I would love my body I never would have believed that was possible.

What does body positivity mean to you?

I think its really about body image not having such a huge role in your life. It’s something about me; it is by no means the most important thing about me. It’s one aspect and its not one that really changes all that much.

You were both so young when you started Project Heal. What advice would you give young girls wanting to start a business or cause?

My biggest advice is persistence and grit. You have to develop a thick skin and just know that no matter what, I care about this and I’m going to keep going.

What do you do for self-care and self-love to make yourself happy?

I do yoga, I really like yoga. I live in San Diego California, so I love being outside in the sun. I do hikes and spend time at the beach on the weekends. I also like to take time for my relationships, making time to catch up, sometimes over dinner and wine.

What is your top tip for loving yourself and keeping a positive body image?

Cultivating an image of who you want to be. Look towards the people you really admire in your life. Look at what you admire about them and what makes them beautiful. It usually has a lot less to do with the physical appearance. It’s more about how they conduct themselves, how confident they are and how passionate they are about the things they talk about. It’s something to strive towards, working to cultivate those qualities in yourself.

How does social media play a role in positive body image and how can we stay safe on social media?

Social media has completely changed the ball game but its here to stay, so we have to find ways to work with it. I think that social media can be used as an unhealthy thing, one of the worsts things you can do is make comparisons and similarly, time spent on social media browsing and being passive on the platform. 

On the flip side from a body positive perspective I think social media has actually been kind of great. You are able to cultivate really positive images for yourself; you get to choose who you follow. We have the power to decide how we view and use social media.

Who are some of your top favourites to follow on social media?

• @katiehwilcox
• @healthyisthenewskinny
• @bodyposipanda_
• @thebalancedblonde
• @ariannahuff
• @michelleobama44

What advice would you give to someone helping their friends with negative self-image?

Just be there. Often times we want to fix things and with conversations like body image and self-esteem it’s not a quick fix and sometimes you just need to hear from a friend “I get it, I’ve been there, a lot of people feel like this and I’m here to sit with you through the bad feelings and know I’m here for you.”

Directing your friend to health at every size resources and showing them the research on this stuff and encouraging them to follow some of the people you feel are really body positive influences and role models.  

See more from Project Heal on their Instagram @projectheal and the Project Heal Website. 

For more #EteLove stories read our Q&A with Jes & Alyna from Healthy Size You

To help support the Positive Body Image movement, we are donating 100% of Profits from the sale of our Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts to the Butterfly Foundation and ProjectHEAL - Shop the T-Shirts here. 

I'm sure you have all come across The Beach People, and their relaxed beach vibes... We have been obsessed for a long time and recently caught up with Victoria, the Co-Founder of this amazing Aussie lifestyle brand to find out a bit more about her and her thoughts on loving yourself. 

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Victoria and I am a wife, mother, daughter, friend… currently living seaside in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. 

My sister and I are the founders of The Beach People. The Beach People are a lifestyle brand who make beautiful products, designed here in Australia and available for sea lovers near and far…  

Fun Fact? I am always barefoot and constantly getting in trouble for forgetting my shoes… I also carry a pair of swimmers, a Roundie and a set of goggles in my car… You never know when a little under water time is just a quick dip away… 

What made you decide to start the beach people?

It was so simple… Emma and I were sitting on the beach one day watching our husbands surf and she turned to me and said… “I think I am going to make round beach towels want to do that with me… also want to have tacos for dinner…” I said yes to both...

When are you at your happiest?

With my boys. My husband Jesse (childhood sweetheart, he was literally the boy next door), my son Theodore and Puppy Duke. When we are all together and preferably outdoors we are in our happy place… 

As a mum, what do you hope to teach your kids about living their best life and embrace who they are?

Great question! I think my role as a mother is my greatest yet. It’s so wonderful. I want to raise the kind of human that I enjoy being with… I want Theodore to make a great husband one day… To be a great employee or boss… a kind and generous person. You know when you are talking to someone and you leave the conversation feeling inspired, uplifted and comfortable with who you are… I want Theodore to be that kind of person. He’s only 2 but everyday I think how am I exampling that and what do I need to pull into line in his little character that isn’t that… I also hope that he always feels comfortable in his shoes… he’s quite a serious little kid and I often try to get him to lighten up a bit… but them I’m like that’s ok… just be yourself.. ha! 

We have seen that you are unapologetically yourself, have you always been this way?

I just love when other people are themselves and I always try to be this way… I’ve always liked to do things differently and I guess that’s caused me to be myself. It was tough as a teenager… but I had an incredible support in my big sister, my parents and my local church youth group which all were saying the same message “you are amazing, just the way you are, be yourself” I was very fortunate to have that environment growing up. 

Have you made changes in your life that have helped you on your journey to self-confidence?

Absolutely, I am a natural people pleaser, I like people to like me. Sometimes they don’t. ha! So I have a few little positive self talk things I say to myself. “That doesn’t matter” “You know who you are and you like it” Simple statements but it helps. “You are fearlessly and wonderfully made” is a verse from the bible that I repeat… saying these things out loud even really helps form your perspective. Words are so powerful. 

What does loving yourself mean to you?

Being comfortable with who you are. Not what you do, wear, look like… but the deeper things of the heart. “Do not let your adornment be merely outward - arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel - rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious….” that’s another verse I memorised when I was a teenager… truthfully I absolutely LOVE getting dressed up and LOVE wearing nice clothes and getting my hair done… but if you are completely yuckky on the inside… or uncomfortable without those things on… what’s the point… I think beauty truly does start within… and it shines out… 

Any tips for others to live their best lives?

Surround yourself with lovely people and just be yourself… you do you babe… ha! 

See more from Victoria on her Instagram @mrsvictoriabeattie and @thebeachpeople

For more #EteLove stories read our Q&A with Jes & Alyna from Healthy Size You

To help support the Positive Body Image movement, we are donating 100% of Profits from the sale of our Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts to the Butterfly Foundation and ProjectHEAL - Shop the T-Shirts here (as worn by Victoria)

We absolutely adore this Aussie beach babe! We have been following @_aariellanyssa for a while now and she never fails to be an absolute inspiration to so many through her Instagram and Youtube, always being so raw and honest with her followers about her body positive journey. We sat down with her to dig a little deeper into her thoughts on the topic. 

What does body positivity mean to you?

Body positivity means so much to me. I see it as loving yourself on a holistic level. Every single aspect of yourself. This means its an emotional, spiritual, mental and physical journey. Being positive and confident in your body wont happen straight away, its a journey, a journey that may go on for the rest of your life. 

You speak a lot about loving yourself on your Instagram, How do you keep a positive image on social media?

Whenever I post on my social media, I hardly even think about what I'm writing. I use it to vent all of my thoughts about myself! I always post the truth and i think people can relate to me through that. I tell my followers when I'm feeling crappy, down or when i'm having an amazing day! They know it all!

Have there been times in your life when you’ve struggle with your body image? If so how did you overcome this?

I started on this journey to self-love because I was at the worst time and place in my whole life. I hated myself and I realised one day that I didn't want to hate myself anymore. I realised that I didn't want to care about what people thought about me and to be the best me I could be at the time. This is how I started on the road to self love!  

What advice would you give to women who are struggling to love and embrace their body?

I would say BE YOU! theres no-one like you. Remember you are so special in your own way. You are unlike anyone else, embrace that! 

What routines or rituals do you do to help you love and take care of yourself?

I tell myself 3-5 things I love about myself each day and I make sure to spend the time identifying insecurities within myself and trying to work on them. 

Has anything changed since becoming more positive about your body?

SOOO many opportunities have come up for me! Since I've loved myself I've lived a happier and more carefree life and I wouldn't have it any other way!

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See more from Ariella on her Instagram @_aariellanyssa

For more #EteLove stories read our Q&A with Ete Swimwear Founder Jess

To help support the Positive Body Image movement, we are donating 100% of Profits from the sale of our Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts to the Butterfly Foundation and ProjectHEAL - Shop the T-Shirts here (as worn by Ariella)

Watch Ariella's video on Being your own kind of beautiful! 

Our Founder Jess shares her ideas on body positivity and why she launched the #EteLove campaign. Read below for more of Jess' personal story.

What does Body Positivity mean to you?

Body positivity to me is about embracing all your unique traits on a deeper level including; emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally.

It’s about knowing that the way you look doesn’t define your worth. We need to begin focusing more on the things we love about ourselves rather than nit picking at the things we don’t, because there is a whole lot to love about yourself and spreading this to others. You will never look like someone else and that’s because you are YOU and that is what makes you pretty darn special!

On Valentines Day, we are launching a whole month of Love… yourself. But for me this will continue well on beyond this month but we want you to come with us on this journey and challenge yourself over the next 4 weeks to question your current beliefs and push your limits.

Why is this message so important to you as a designer of swimwear?

I wanted to use the platform I have with Ete Swimwear to inspire girls. One of my goals is to be a great role model for girls all around the world. Especially when swimwear is one of the most revealing things someone can wear, insecurities do play on our minds! I want to really focus on making everyone feel amazing and embracing their uniqueness, because it is something that should be celebrated.

When someone can be 100% confident and happy with themselves, amazing things begin to happen and you can see the ripple effect as it flows on into their work, relationships and life goals. I know shopping for a swimsuit can be stresssful, and I want to take the anxiety away from shopping and wearing swimwear to become something girls are excited about. We are currently working on new sizing, cuts and shapes so we have something that will make every girl feel amazing, comfortable and confident.

 Have you had any personal struggles about body/ appearance?

When you think about body positivity, the first thing most people think of is weight and size but for me, my biggest insecurity has always been my skin. I have suffered with acne for as long as I can remember and it has been a massive journey for me over the 10+ years. I would spend hours every morning in front of the mirror trying to make my skin look “acceptable to leave the house”. Some days I didn’t even want to leave the house so would cancel plans and opt to stay in instead. I hate that this insecurity has meant I missed out on those days of my life, days I can never get back.

I have always eaten healthy and lived a healthy lifestyle. I had been to doctors, naturopaths, dermatologists, hormone specialists, and nothing seemed to be wrong or out of balance. On paper everything seemed great but I still had a face full of pimples and nothing worked! That’s the thing with genetics, you can’t change them, but I can manage it the best way I can and I certainly can try to manage the way I react and feel towards it.

How do you feel your best?

It’s so important to remember to listen to what your body needs, whether that be meditation, certain foods, a workout or a catch up with friends. Don't let your skin, size, colour or any other insecurities ever hold you back from what you want to do in life. You are all beautiful in your unique way and that is what makes us so special.

What was the inspiration behind starting Ete Swimwear?

When I began Ete Swimwear, I was just 22 and uninspired by my job and needed something more. I have always had a strong connection to the beach and the ocean, and noticed a lot of brands were moving toward athleisure and a more minimalist aesthetics which just wasn’t me, so I set out to create designs that were not only comfortable, but beautiful. With feminine prints, boho details and pretty colours, Ete Swimwear was born! We are made for the Feminine Adventurers of the world.

I decided that my brand HAD to inspire other girls to be happy, explore and push themselves to live their best lives. And I am proud of where we have come from in just 2 years, but I wanted to take it one step further and really start to focus on self love and helping girls all over the world be happier with their unique capabilities, beauty and life in general.

What is something you hope girls and women can take away from the campaign?

The number one thing I truly hope for is that I can make people happy. Happiness to me, is the key to life and when people are happy they can achieve anything. For me, this message goes well beyond size, shape and looks, I want it to extend into every part of their lives where they can feel more positive, confident and inspired to achieve amazing things. My hope is that if we can just impact one girl’s life or perception of herself, we have done our job.

Beyond the campaign we are also donating 100% of profits from the shirts sold to charities that support girls suffering from negative body image and eating disorders. But I hope that through our campaign, we can bring more awareness to the topic and help prevent this from happening in the first place.

How important is it to 'love yourself' in today's social media world?

Social media has the ability to inspire, empower and ignite, but it can also be the source of insecurity and self-doubt.  It is so important to pay attention to the accounts you follow and ask yourself “do they provide me value?” “do they make me feel good?” if the answer is no, then you need to unfollow these accounts.

We take this responsibility really seriously at Ete, and we aim to support and nurture our amazing community and show them that their potential is limitless!

This isn’t just applicable to social media but life in general. You should surround yourself with people who make you feel amazing and that you can make feel amazing too, because that’s what we hope we can do through this campaign.

When women support women, amazing things happen.

For more #EteLove stories read our Q&A with Ariella Nyssa

To help support the Positive Body Image movement, we are donating 100% of Profits from the sale of our Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts to the Butterfly Foundation and ProjectHEAL - Shop the T-Shirts here (as worn by Jess)

We recently came across the amazing sisters, Jes & Alyna on their instagram @healthysizeyou and found their stories and messages to be so inspiring and refreshing that we just had to learn more!

What does body positivity mean to you?

Body positivity to us means embracing who you are and embracing your body. It means quitting comparisons and instead looking at your own body and being proud of the journey it has gotten you through so far.

How often do we look in the mirror and say I love this about my body rather than I wish I could get rid of this or I wish I could change this about my body? If you feel healthy, strong and beautiful that is the most important, not what other people's perceptions of beauty or health is, it is about you. 

Tell us a bit about your body positivity background. Have you always been body positive or have you grow to adapt a body positive mindset?

Alyna - For me growing up as a ballerina and dancing professionally, I was in an environment obsessed with body image, size and weight. For me, it wasn’t until I stopped dancing that I adopted a more positive body image.  I learnt that a specific number on the scale or clothing size didn’t dictate my happiness. It has taken time but i have adopted a better positive mindset. And after having a baby - I realised how amazing your body is and that changed everything. 

Jes - I haven't always been body positive - there were years where I did not love what I looked like and thought I needed to be another size to be beautiful. Starting in the industry as a plus size model I was beginning to be surrounded by incredible women who were embracing their own bodies and showing that diversity is beautiful. This changed everything for me. I became a part of the conversation about body positivity and learning from other women's journeys. I began to realise that the perfect size does not exist - someone can feel healthier at a size 12 over a size 8 when at that size they had a unhealthy relationship to food. Knowing there isn't one stock standard size that defines health or beauty changed my mindset and my views of my own body. 

How do you feel your best?

We feel our best when we workout, eat healthy and start and finish each day with a positive thought.

Has anything changed since becoming more positive about your body?

Alyna - I definitely feel happier, more relaxed and more confident.

Jes - A lot has changed - I've started to love my body for what it has gotten me through and I am no longer ashamed of my body. I feel like accepting and embracing my body has taken this at times overwhelming pressure off to look like someone else or to be a different size. I am enjoying life more, I'm not letting insecurities I had hold me back - instead of being ashamed and not wanting anyone to see in my swimmers for example, I am going to the beach, I am in my bikini and I feel proud of myself. My self-worth is no longer made up of what I look like.

What 3 tips would you give to someone about embracing the body they have?

Focus on the things you love about yourself Focus on the incredible things your body can do. For me (Jes) my body part I am most self-conscious about are my legs, but I look at my legs and I love that they are strong - that they can squat with a heavy weight. Focus on the amazing things our bodies do for us. 

Surround yourself with people who are promoting body positivity - be a part of that conversation, start to realise that you are not alone in the journey of embracing your body.

It's ok to have a body composition goal without hating where you are at right now. By this we mean, you don't have to hate your body to want to reach a goal - whether it is wanting to be stronger or wanting to be more toned in your arms - whatever yet goal is, you do not need to hate your body until you've reached it - it is ok to embrace where your body is at now, knowing that you are going through a journey. 

Who would you recommend to follow on social media for body positivity?

Kelsey Wells, Base Body Babes, Steph Claire Smith, Laura Henshaw, Laura Wells, Iskra, Ashley Graham, Bree Warren

Your Instagram inspires so many, how do you remain body positive in the social media age?

There are so many images out there that are showing picture perfect lives. We try to remain true to who we are, that's all that matters - that we be ourselves. We are all beautiful and unique, if you can embrace your own beauty that’s where body positivity begins.

 See more from Jes & Alyna on their Instagram @healthysizeyou

For more #EteLove stories read our Q&A with Ete Swimwear Founder Jess

To help support the Positive Body Image movement, we are donating 100% of Profits from the sale of our Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful T-Shirts to the Butterfly Foundation and ProjectHEAL - Shop the T-Shirts here (as worn by Jes & Alyna)