#MySkyeBody Conversations - Janie Porter
Janie Porter is a mom of 4 and the successful author of the blog “She Just Glows”. Inspired by her hectic family life, motherhood and the physical and mental changes that come with that territory, she has found a way to use her blog as an outlet as well as a medium to promote self love and healing. Take a read and you’ll quickly realise that her philosophies are incredibly uplifting and most importantly, pertinent to all women and not just mothers.
SKYE: You are a mom of 4 and a successful blogger who isn’t afraid to be honest about the realities of motherhood. What else would you like our readers to know about you?
Janie: Life is very full with 4 kids 7 and under, a husband with a demanding career and no family nearby. The crazy thing about our world today is the modern mother isn't just a mom... but a wife, a friend, a sister. About a year ago, I realized that, in trying so hard to be everything to everyone, I end up being nothing to those who matter most. So I've really tried to edit down our life, and my general rule is: I want to keep everyone inside my home happy (including ME!), and that's my priority. I will be disappointing people outside my home, guaranteed... but I'd rather do that than have nothing left to give my family.
SKYE:What prompted your path to being body positive and what does it mean to you?
Janie: My body image journey started many years ago, and it's still an ongoing process. After having my fourth baby, something clicked inside of me. I realized that I may never have my "perfect body" back. ("Perfect body" is a phrase I use in my writings to identify that time in our lives when we were at peak physical fitness, and for many of us, we are always striving to get back there. For me, it was when I was 29. I'm now 37.) I've let go of that old person. I am no longer able to spend 2 hours a day in the gym, and I no longer value my looks above all else. For many years, I worked out because I hated my body. Now I work out because I love it. For so long, my body image journey was about depriving myself and forcing my body to perform. I'm now in a phase of loving my body so much that I've decided I want to nourish it. Sometimes that means working out 5 days a week. Other times, that means getting extra rest and letting my body recover. I've learned that I'm doing my best to be healthy. That may mean never returning to my pre-baby weight. And that's okay.
SKYE:To some women, the changes in our bodies post childbirth can be dramatic and at times, hard to accept. What's your secret to accepting and embracing the "mommy body"?
Janie: In the last 8 years, I've grown and birthed 4 children, and sustained them for the first year or so of life. That's pretty damn amazing! My secret to embracing the "mommy body" is really a secret to embracing your body, period, whether you've had kids or not. See yourself as others see you. When people see me at the beach, they don't notice my back fat, my thigh cellulite or my swaying upper arms. They see a mom of 4 who is blessed and cherished and loved. "You don't look pretty. You look loved." is a common theme of my writings because it's true. See yourself how others see you, and the blessings of your body, and your life, will be undeniable.
SKYE: How did you come up with the name “she just glows” and what would you like it to represent?
Janie: I chose the name She Just Glows because we all have an inner glow, and it's our responsibility to find, nurture and grow that glow. It doesn't mean our lives are perfect. It doesn't mean we have perfect post-baby bodies or that our kids are well-behaved, or that our homes are Instagram-worthy. It means that we can chose to do the best we can with what we have today, and find joy in whatever that is.
SKYE: How has social media and blogging affected your journey?
Janie: Social media and blogging are very therapeutic for me. If you glance over my writings, whether it's talking about loving my body in a swimsuit, or a parenting day when I wanted to give up, they are all messages I write to myself more than anyone else. I'm not an expert, giving advice to readers. I'm a struggling, imperfect, very flawed person who is trying her best everyday, and sharing online.
SKYE: What is the best body positive advice you’ve ever received?
Janie: I'm so bored of the pressure to be thin after giving birth, and over the years, I've actually given myself lots of little nuggets of advice that govern how I view myself. One of my favorites is "Enjoy your children now. You have the rest of your life to be thin." Obviously, one can be healthy and work out and still enjoy their children. But it's about the focus and goal of the day. The goal of my day is connecting with my kids. I truly have the rest of my life to lose the baby weight.
SKYE: In one line, create your own affirmation that you’d like all mothers to use and relate to.
Janie: “Love yourself. They need you to.”
You can follow Janie’s journey on Instagram.
