There's something very empowering about modeling nude, especially at the age of 51. Let's face it, I'm not 20, or even 30 or 40-something anymore, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Even when I can be extremely critical of myself, and judge my body harshly, I view the finished photos and see a mature woman who just doesn't give a fuck any longer about what society says. Where did our beauty standards come from anyway? I don't buy into culture's marketing-brainwashing tactics. This body of mine has delivered me through the joys and pains of this amazing life (so far) and will get me to wherever else I'm destined for. There's beauty in the laugh-lines around my eyes - I laugh A LOT! There's compassion in the stretch-marks on my belly - I birthed 2 incredible children! There's power in every wrinkle on my hands - They have written stories, fed people, grown gardens, changed diapers... There's energy in my curves - (and guys love them!) I am mindful of who I am. I am a well-rounded goddess. I live my life deliberately. Seriously, this isn't about vanity or ego. This is about women encouraging and supporting women. Who says women over 50 can't be sexy? Certainly not this 51-year-old divine being! Empower yourself today. You are a lovely beautiful goddess! - Zushka Biros Photos courtesy of: Jim L.
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What a difference four years can make. Not only was I younger, I was totally inexperienced in the way of becoming an Indie Author. I look at this photo today, New Year's Day, 2017, and reminisce about the pre-butterfly period, my cocoon stage - the metamorphosis of my life. I journaled daily, as I do even now, putting together the chapters that would become The Secret Butterfly Trail. Learning how to create a website for myself and establish an online presence using social media was overwhelming. Once I was immersed in it, it became second nature and eventually turned into a website and social media business of my own. My writing style has changed over the years. I have learned to pull out all the stops and allow the raw, real, emotional writing to flow. Why on earth would I want to pose nude for a group of photographers? I'm not a psychologist or an authority on body image. I'm a 50-year-old woman who has suffered with anorexia and body dysmorphic disorder since I was 7 years old. I've tried therapy and support groups over the past 15 years. Although they have helped tremendously and brought awareness about this disease, I seem to slip back into self-body-hatred periodically. Sometimes it lasts for a few days, sometimes a few months. The time period doesn't matter. What does matter is, even at my age I still struggle with my body. How many women do the same thing? Does it ever end? For a lot of us, the disease begins in early childhood. For some, it happens in pre-pubescence when our young bodies are in a metamorphose stage from child to adult. The psychological damage done to girls is appalling, both as the result of media hype and the unrealistic expectations that society places on women, and through untreated childhood abuse - verbal, physical, emotional and sexual, to which I am no stranger on all counts. 5 Eating Disorder Stereotypes Worth Rethinking (Original article by Julia Black) Sufferers of eating disorders are often met with victim-blaming, cattiness, or awkward silence. Many people tend to assume that eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are rooted in vanity and self-absorption, but some interesting new studies are beginning to suggest that eating disorders may be a more complex phenomenon than we'd previously thought. Eating disorders may not be one-size-fits-all, and the factors causing them aren't always what you'd expect. Here are five myths worth rethinking. Photo courtesy of Bonnie Miller (bonmiller.com) A Later-In-Life Career Change
Changing a career path at the age of 50 - who does this? It can sound scary to some, especially once you've reached a later-in-life age. I'm not saying 50 is old. As a matter of fact, 50 is considered by many to be the new 30. But changing careers at any age can be a little intimidating. I was invited by a photographer to participate in a nude/boudoir photo shoot a few months ago. Of the 5 models who were invited, I was the oldest (by 30 years). I'm not new to modeling - I've done some in the past few years, but never a nude shoot. This pushed my boundaries for sure. I looked forward to being photographed but not for the reasons you might think. This was therapy for me. Let me explain why: |