5 Ways We Should All Be Like Jennifer Aniston

Photo by Alexi Lubomirski; Fashiontography 

These days, it's very common for girls to have celebrity girl crushes and for boys to have celebrity man crushes. I have plenty myself. However, my number one girl crush has always been and will always be the beautiful and timeless, Jennifer Aniston. Although she is amazingly gorgeous with a body to die for, my love for her is way more than skin deep. My obsession with Jen started waaay back when Friends was still on the air, but my true love for her began about a year ago.

The fall of 2013 was a very rough time for me. I had just moved from a city that I adored to a city that I didn't care for. I was missing my friends and the ocean. I had just started a masters degree that I lacked passion for. My live-in boyfriend was working many evenings a week, so after coming home from a part-time job that made me miserable, I would sit alone and dwell on my unhappiness. It was not the healthiest of situations, not to mention I was overweight and unhealthy. I was stuck and way too unhappy.

I became obsessed with looking up pictures of celebrities and watching celebrity interviews on YouTube. I was fooled into believing that these women were perfect. They were beautiful, wealthy, talented, well-loved. They had the bests lives. I was envious. I compared everything about my body and my life to the bodies and lives of these women. Jennifer Aniston was always at the top of my list. She is incredibly beautiful and funny and, man, did I want to be just like her. I became fixated on her and her life. Constantly reading everything I could about her. Watching every interview she had ever done. Studying pictures of her. I was obsessed. And yes, it probably sounds very unhealthy. Except for the fact that nothing about Jennifer is unhealthy. There was something very different about my obsession with her. She lives her life in a way that truly made me want to better myself. Instead of inspiring me to want to be more like her, she inspired to be to become the best version of myself.

The more I read about her, the more I respected her. She was not happy in her life, not happy with herself, and so she took the steps necessary to become the person she was always meant to be. She cleansed her life. She began doing yoga, eating clean, and loving herself. She began to take care of herself and make her well-being her number one priority. She took control of her life and her happiness. This inspired me. If she could just wake up one day and decide to not feel this way anymore, then so could I.

And that's how it began. I purchased the DVD and book by Jen's yoga instructor (Yogalosophy by Mandy Ingber), and I took a serious interest in yoga. I read as much as I could about the practice, and I incorporated it into my everyday life. I changed my diet completely (gaining knowledge from Cameron Diaz's The Body Book), and I spent time nurturing myself. I incorporated self-care into every aspect of my life in a way that I never had before. I became very devoted to changing my life and living a wholesome, healthy existence. All along the way, I continuously turned to Jennifer for inspiration and encouragement. Even today, I love looking at pictures of her. Not to compare my body to hers, but to admire her strength and her beauty and to be reminded that it is all a choice. You can choose to live a healthy life. You can choose to become the person you want to be. You have complete control over your happiness.

So, here are five ways that Jennifer Aniston inspired me to change my life for the better:

1. She lives a healthy, wholesome life: There is no doubt that Jennifer radiates a healthy lifestyle. She is full of fitness and meal inspiration. Drink plenty of water, eat foods that are healthy and natural, control your portions, move your body, do yoga and indulge every once in a while. She lives by a "everything in moderation" motto, and I believe that is great advice to follow.

2. She spends time loving and nurturing herself: It is clear that Jen takes care of herself. She spends time on her hair, her skin, her body, and her mind. She meditates daily. She treats herself when necessary. It is so important to take time for yourself.

3. She is a genuine soul: One thing that always stood out to me about Jennifer is the way she makes people believe that they could be her friend. She is genuinely kind, and I believe it shows in everything she does. She lives her life for everyone around her, while still finding time to care for herself. She gives, gives, gives, and she inspires me to give to the people around me as well.

4. She is a hard worker: Jen is someone who seems to always be working, whether she is filming a new movie, producing, working on endorsements, doing photo shoots, co-founding companies, etc. She is a true inspiration. She is living proof that working hard and never giving up will take you far. You have to work for what you want. If you want to be successful, you have to work for it. Jennifer didn't just stumble upon this success; she earned it.

5. She has her own sense of style: And not just in the way she dresses, though that is a source for inspiration in itself. The way she carries herself and the way she treats other people is what I mean by her style. She is the type of person that makes everyone she speaks to feel beautiful and special. She is kind-hearted and would do anything for the people she loves. I believe that we should all live that way. We should all carry ourselves in a way that radiates kindness and love. Her warm smile will always be her most fashionable accessory.

Who is your inspiration? Find that person who inspires you to make those changes in your life that will transform you into the person that you are meant to be. I will forever be indebted to Jennifer Aniston for making me see that there is beauty in everyone, even me, and that is just takes a little self-care and dedication to bring it out.

Don't be ashamed of your girl crushes. They are there for a reason. Maybe to inspire you, maybe to teach you something, who knows! I believe that if you feel that connection to someone, famous or not, don't let it go. Jennifer Aniston is, in a way, my soul sister. My role model. And I will forever be inspired by her kindness and her radiating beauty.

Share Your Beauty: The Power of the Selfie

I've always had trouble knowing who I was, what I wanted, and finding the beauty in the person I found. It was much easier to distinguish the flaws. The mistakes. If you ask me what I'm good at, I struggle to find an answer. But if you ask what I need to work on or what I wish I was good at, I can give you a great long list. That's despicable. Truly. But I'm working on it.

When I lived in North Carolina for a year, I took a lot of time for soul-searching. I was having trouble figuring out what I wanted out of my life. I didn't understand my goals, my passions, or myself. I spent hours alone, either at the beach or in the comfort of my own home, thinking and talking to myself. Getting to know myself. Spending time with ME. I learned a lot. I learned that I was stronger than I knew. Braver than I could've imagined. Independent. Dependable. Caring. Full of love. Passionate. And kind. Most importantly, I felt beautiful. I felt as if I could conquer the world. And I intend to.

Of course, I still have my moments where I feel absolutely terrible. I think awful things and say mean things to myself. This is a habit I am trying desperately to break. When you say self-deprecating things, your body hears you. Your mind hears you. It is no better than saying these terrible things to someone else. The rule still applies: If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. But, I encourage us all to say those nice things. Acknowledge the good. Praise yourself for your talents. Hug yourself. Treat yourself. Be proud of the person that you are. You are beautiful, wonderful, and unique. You deserve all the love in the world, especially from yourself.

In our society, social media is a huge part of many people's lives, and there are many different ways to utilize it. Keeping in touch with family and friends, staying up to date with new trends and breaking news, sharing pictures, sharing thoughts, and selfies. Selfies have become more and more popular and have become somewhat of a controversy. Many people think that one either posts a selfie because they are too into themselves or because they are self-conscious and looking for positive feedback. Either way, it seems that a selfie is a no-win situation. Why can't there be a happy medium? Why can't someone post a picture of their own face when they are feeling beautiful? Why does that require criticism and ridicule? Just because someone posts a picture of themselves that they believe is nice enough to share with social media does not make them conceited. We should be praising people for sharing themselves with us. The world could use a bit more sharing.  Sharing is caring. Besides, for some people, it takes a lot to share these pictures. In some cases, they are putting their deepest insecurities out into the world. That takes bravery. That takes respect. Respect for themselves. LOVE for themselves. Every single person should be proud to share themselves with the world. We are all beautiful. We all deserve positive feedback. So, you can choose to see selfies as self-indulgent. Or you can choose to see them as a celebration of beauty and of self-love. Selfies usually represent when a person feels their most fabulous, and that is a very beautiful thing to see. 

So, take some time to get to know yourself and fall in love with the person you are. When you are feeling fabulous, make-up or fresh-faced, fancy dress or pajamas, share it with the world. Post a selfie. Share your beauty without caring about the result. The world is better with you in it. Do not hide. Show your face. Let the world see your beauty and that knowledge resonate within you. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.