If you’re comparing yourself to what you scroll past on Instagram, then 23-year-old Milly Smith wants to open your eyes.
The U.K.-based nursing student, new mom and body positivity champion recently posted an Instagram (@selfloveclubb) of two drastically different side-by-side photos, taken seconds apart.
In the first, Smith is wearing control-top tights that give her the appearance of a flat stomach and hourglass shape. In the second photo, the tights are pulled below her stomach and the entire shape of her figure is changed.
Smith writes in the caption, “Same girl, same day, same time. Not a before and after. Not a weight loss transformation. Not a diet company promotion.”
She elaborates that she’s comfortable with how her body looks in both images and stresses to her fans that they shouldn’t compare themselves to other people.
“Just live for you. There is no one on this planet who’s like you and that’s pretty damn amazing don’t ya think. The world doesn’t need another copy, it needs you. We are worthy, valid and powerful beyond measure,” she says.
The side-by-side comparison has been done many times before, but this iteration shows just how deceptive angles and clothing can be to a silhouette.
Smith frequently posts photos advocating body acceptance, including other side-by-sides to make a point that she (or the others she’s photographed) hasn’t lost weight between one photo and the other. It’s simply photo “magic.”
Take a tip from Milly: Love yourself and your body, regardless of how you’re standing, sitting or posing!
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