#MySkyeBody Conversations - Alex Sterg
SKYE: Where does your body confidence come from?
AS: I wasn't always as confident, and it took a lot of work, effort and commitment to myself. I think all women, even the most confident, are still works in progress, and have moments where they're feeling less confident but what's important is that you make it a commitment to yourself to do things that feel good when you aren't.
I often found myself looking for things to improve, specifically in the industry we work in. But over the years, the same industry taught me that the girls who do well, as models or in general, are the ones who know what they DO have, and work just that. The rest is just a waste of time and energy...
SKYE: What do you do for self-care?
AS: Over the years, I always took care of myself, whether it was with a great skincare regimen, eating healthy, or making time to workout. I do think it's evolved though into more than just taking care of my body, and I now make sure to take the time to care for all three important components: Mind, body & soul!
I make sure to get my 8 hours of sleep as often as I can - sleep to me is a necessary element to being happy and performing well!
Second, I never skip water + my all-natural skincare regimen which I make myself from natural organic ingredients!
Third, I make sure to either workout 3-4 times a week, or extend my daily walks with my pup Mila! I leave my phone at home, and just enjoy the walk. I think it's a great form of meditation without having to sit still haha!
SKYE: What do you think of the current representation of women on social media? Do you think social media is helping to display a more representative image of women?
AS: I could write an essay in response to this question because i feel really strongly about it, but I'm going to try to keep it as short as possible!
I am an optimist, and I really believe humanity is changing into a better place: it's just another "tipping point" that will lead us to a place: whether it is to sell products, let it be clothing, cars or skincare, businesses will have to target a wide variety of women all shapes, sizes and ethnicities. That's thanks to a lot of things, but I truly think social media is one of the main factors influencing the change in the way marketers have to target, and formulate their messages in order to reach, sell and be heard.
Although [social media] does create somewhat of a "fake" filter where people portray their best self, I think it's dwindling down, because people are beginning to feel like frauds when they come off as "edited". It's now perceived as cooler to post less filtered photos, than to re-shape them with Facetune and fully alter your body! I hope and I think, social media will become more of a voice for all causes, where injustice will be addressed more openly, and easily. Where women will find strength, will find women they can relate and look up to, and just overall feel more comfortable in their bodies, and selves.
We've peeked pretty low in the past decade, and I think that's necessary for growth. In history every hit has led to great changes, and I think it's the case with social media and women's beauty standards.
I study marketing, and what I've found the most is that for businesses to do well now, there is no way around serving value to people and finding ways to create community, and make people feel empowered through their purchase decisions. Any other way of doing business won't last on the long-run. Women are tired of not being heard, and that is a huge opportunity for businesses to leverage, and so they're increasingly shedding light and having their voices be heard for businesses success as well.
SKYE: Favourite thing about your body and why?
AS: My legs because they're strong! (We can confirm - they're definitely strong!)
SKYE: What would you say to a woman, a friend, who is shy of wearing a bathing suit?
AS: Girl, you have one life to live! While I do think that taking care of your body is important, like working out to feel toned and healthy, we all come in different shapes and sizes and not many people just wake up confident. It takes time, it takes commitment to love yourself and your body. If you feel shy, I say own your body, take care of it, get to know it. Find a woman who has a similar body type who is very confident to remind yourself that there isn’t ONE beauty ideal! From Monica Belluci, to Ashley Graham, Chrissy Teigan to Beyonce. The one thing they have in common is they all owned what they have, and they know their bodies well enough to be comfortable. Last thing I'd say is: start looking at what you do have, not what you don't have or wish you had!
Follow Alex on her Instagram: @alex.sterg