Sarah Hyland has shared an important message on Instagram about body confidence and living with an invisible illness. The Modern Family star, who was born with kidney dysplasia - a condition that prevents the kidneys from developing normally in the womb - has faced many health obstacles in the past which have changed her body.
But the actress, 29, is not just reframing how she sees these changes, but she’s opening up about her new mindset to her seven million followers with the goal to inspire body confidence and positivity. She shared a snap of herself in workout gear, and admitted that the picture initially made her feel "insecure" about her body.
"To my fellow #invisibleillness warriors. It’s ok to be insecure about your body. Just remember to check in with yourself at least once a day and say thank you," she wrote.
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"Our bodies have endured unfathomable feats that our minds barely have time to comprehend what has actually happened. With inflammation, excess water gain and medications, my skin has a hard time bouncing back.
"I saw this picture and HATED it but quickly readjusted my attitude and decided to celebrate it. Love yourself and be patient. We are all stronger than we think we are."
Now, here’s a little side note. You might see that pic and be like… 'Sorry, what?' There’s literally nothing to hate, this is hardly brave. And you might have a point, BUT it’s important to remember that Sarah is from the world of Hollywood where perceptions of bodies and body image is even more warped than it is for us non-famous people. In fact, it’s way more warped.
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Hollywood is notorious for rejecting bodies that don’t fit a certain - read: flawless - standard and anything considered slightly out of that realm is, unfortunately, not celebrated. So this IS a big deal, and she IS brave and look - any time a celebrity can be honest and open up about their body issues should be a positive, celebrated thing because it’s so rare. Thanks, Sarah!
