Ciara Says Husband Russell Wilson Helped Her Accept Her Body After Past Struggles
Singer and entrepreneur Ciara is the embodiment of how pure love from one's family can positively impact their self-image, especially when it comes to one's physical appearance.
The 37-year-old, who has been a part of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades, recently shared during an interview with Yahoo Life how her husband of almost seven years, Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and their blended family of three children helped her love her body, regardless of its state.
In the discussion, Ciara revealed that her self-confidence in her body wavered early, like everyone else, because of the societal standards of beauty and the pressure of trying to fit in with others.
The "Level Up" vocalist added that her career in the music industry and the training she had to endure as an up-and-coming artist also played a part in her wanting to be the perfect physical representation. In 2004, Ciara first rose to fame when she released her track "Goodies" featuring Petey Pablo.
Ciara On Why She Started Taking Her Physical Health More Seriously
During that process, the "For Da Girls" songstress explained the training increased her dancing abilities and helped her understand the importance of taking care of herself by incorporating physical exercise into her daily routine.
"Movement for me is a big part of how I communicate, how I release and definitely a big way of how I express myself. I identified with dancing and movement at a very, very young age," she said. "But I've become more connected to working out as I've gotten older — having my career as an entertainer, wanting to be prepared for music videos or being prepared for the stage. All of those made me start to take working out more seriously."
Ciara On Her Husband Russell Inspiring Her To Be a Better Version of Herself
Although Ciara would go on to gain success in the music industry by releasing seven studio albums and selling millions of records, the mother of three disclosed that she didn't fully appreciate her body until meeting her husband, Russell Wilson.
The "And I" singer expressed that Russell helped shift her mindset regarding her body by loving her "curves" and celebrating them, which she says helps her give herself grace if things are imperfect.
"I give myself grace, and my honey, Russ, he loves my curves. So he celebrates that, which I love. So I don't stress as much now, I think as I would have when I was younger," she said.
Further in the interview, Ciara described another way Russell had inspired her to become a better woman was by "his level of commitment and dedication" in everything he does.
"We talked about in our earlier days being equally yoked. He and I were a lot alike from day one. So oftentimes, when we're doing things or aspiring to achieve the next goal or trying to level up our game — for him with football, and for me with music — we kind of run parallel," she shared while discussing how the pair encourage one another. "When we're working out, we're really encouraging each other, really celebrating each other, which I really love. I think he's the best at what he does and to see like his level of commitment and dedication to what he does, I get so inspired. I do feel like a better woman because of him."
Ciara On How She Wants To Be An Example For Her Three Children When It Comes to Self-Love
Another factor that positively affected Ciara's self-image was motherhood. Ciara shares two children, Sienna Wilson and Win Wilson, with Russell. The singer also has a son Future Wilburn with rapper Future.
Ciara spoke about how becoming a mother and physically carrying her children showed her the significance of maintaining one's health, especially dealing with diastasis recti after giving birth to Sienna.
According to Healthline, diastasis recti is a condition that causes an individual's abdominal muscles to separate after birth. This condition can correct itself through core strength exercises.
Ciara told the publication that she ended up loving her body's appearance, even with the condition that could leave one with a pouch appearance in the abdominal area, because she saw the "proudest achievement" she created, her three babies.
"That is like a whole different beast of something to deal with, on top of trying to lose baby weight and get to a spot where I feel really good about myself," she said. "But because of this, I look at my belly and I go, my three precious babies came out of this belly. It's my proudest achievement in life to have been able to do that. So I just have perspective on it."
Ciara wrapped up the conversation by saying this was an important lesson for her to conquer because she wants her children to know that it is good to be confident in oneself and appreciate one's "unique attributes."
"I just want to continually encourage my baby girl, especially, but all my babies to feel confident in their skin and who they are. To know that God blessed them with their amazing and unique attributes that they have and that make us who we are and it's so amazing to embrace who you are," she said.
Ciara continues to showcase positive body images by captivating millions with her viral social media posts.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
Courtesy
Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
Courtesy
Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
Courtesy
Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy