self loving

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO BOOK A BOUDOIR SESSION?

I'd always wanted to have a professional photo shoot for myself to remind my older self of how I looked and felt in my 20s. I also needed a self-empowerment moment. As an oncology nurse, I also see a lot of patients who lose their hair to chemotherapy or have muscle wasting from weakness and treatment. So I wake up everyday really grateful to have a body that is fully capable of doing things, from simple, trivial, everyday things like taking a shower, to more intense activities like hiking and traveling. I really just wanted to pay homage to my body, kind of like a thank you, you rock.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR SESSION ?

I LOVED putting my favorite playlist on and trying something entirely new. I put a lot of thought into curating my playlists so playing music that felt really intimate and personal to me while challenging myself in a new way was really enlightening and moving. I felt comfortable and confident trying new poses, which I didn't expect! But time flew by and I loved every moment exploring my body from a new angle.

WHERE YOU WERE IN YOUR JOURNEY TO SELF LOVE WHEN BOOKING YOUR BOUDOIR EXPERIENCE?

Oof, what a loaded question!, lol. I was trying to avoid this!, but that's okay, lol. I was actually going through one of the most spiritual journeys of my life during this time, fresh out of a relationship of four years. I had to learn how to be nice to myself again, and how to treat myself like I would treat a friend. I had always thought I knew what self-love was and swore I was being nice to myself by doing nice things like taking time to solo travel, splurge, exercise, meditate, and make art. But the breakup actually made me realize I was really hard on myself, which only contributes to my anxiety. The boudoir experience actually symbolizes my changing definition of self-love, now that I look back at it. It made me want to be kinder to my body and all that it withstands.

IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND A "LOVE HER SESSION" TO YOUR GIRLFRAN, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

I already did! But I'd say, it's the one thing you don't think you need, but you do. You might think it's a splurge, and it totally is, but it also helped me in ways I never anticipated mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

Makeup Artist // Jill Tilton

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