Local supermum Lorinda Mamo is well-known for her altruistic attitude to life and one recent social media post from the positivity activist highlights the beautiful aspects of social media and reveals that self-image and esteem are a lifelong journey.
“This one is a tough one for me to write but days allow me to reflect and vulnerability is healthy. I never really thought of myself as pretty or ugly, just me. Growing up, there was a time I was taunted about my nose but then I became deaf to it. When I was a teen I battled severe acne as well as hirsutism. It dug into my self esteem and ate away at my confidence so much that there were days I struggled to leave the house. Then I got cancer, my hair, eyelashes and eyebrows fell out and a little part of me broke again,” Lorinda wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post.
She continued that: “For me, social media is about the stories we share and the beautiful connections made. The years I was alienated from the outside world because I was caring for my medically complex son and myself, I found solace in connections made through social media… many of which have bloomed into wonderful friendships. “
Sharing one such example, Lorinda says: “On one occasion, I met one of these people I had befriended through social media and the comment the person made when we met took me back to my childhood. Despite thinking I had a healthy image of myself, it was distorted in one short sentence… ‘You look better in person, than you do in your photos’. I know I am not a model and I know I am not photogenic, I knew it, but it’s so different when you hear it.”
Lorinda expresses gratitude for the connections made along the way and reveals their positive impact: “I appreciated the honesty it also made me more self conscious when posting photos, but here’s the thing- my love of story trumps that of a pretty facade. I am still me, nothing is going to change, my heart and my passion is more than skin deep."
"Sure there are things that I would fix or change but I also need to be real with myself and life. So, do I lock myself up or away and miss out on all the amazing friendships because I don’t let people get to know me or get to know others… nope. I post photos like this and I am happy in my skin despite wanting a few changes. I want to tell you to do the same because it is so liberating for someone to be honest with you but even more so when you are honest with yourself. #selfimage," she concluded.
Thank you for being such an inspiration Lorinda!