“Curvy Girl” Model Ashley Graham, 36, Launches New Campaign Taking on The Fashion World– Now a Mom of Three- “We’re a Big Family Gettin Through Life”

“Things have changed immensely in some ways and just have had a full stop in others. And that is why I’m not going to stop talking about my body and dressing people of larger sizes because it’s not a norm yet.”

Graham pointed out how most designer want to make closing for her, but it’s more costly to making bigger sized clothing. She told People that sometimes she pays designers for the extra fabric needed, if the designer doesn’t have the funds but is willing to create something new.

She insisted, “That’s not a negative thing by any means, but it still is just where we are in society.”

If you look at the runways, not much has changed. If you look at designers, some of them are dressing different types of bodies, but it’s not the norm,” Graham added, describing the changes being made in the industry as a “tiny crawl.”

As Graham was interviewed by People at the Good American [a women’s apparel company which works to “innovate, find solutions, and redefine fashion for the modern women] casting call, she admitted to feeling that designers are losing out on profits when they choose not to dress women who are size 12 and up.

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Graham, who praised Good American for offering clothing for women of all sizes, questioned why other designers aren’t making changes, saying, “Is it fatphobia? Is it that they’re scared to look like they have fallen into commercialism?

“Is it because they don’t have the capability to be able to understand what true grading is on different types of bodies when it comes to breast, belly, butt cellulite? I don’t know.”

Back in 2018, the confident model opened up to TODAY Show hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on how she stays so positive throughout adversity in the fashion industry— through her mantra “I am bold. I am brilliant. I am beautiful.”

Referring to how she almost quit modeling when she was 18, she recounted her mom urging her not to quit and telling her, “Your body is going to change someone’s life. …You’ve gotta stay; and you’ve gotta start talking better to yourself.”

At that time, she spread boy positivity awareness by using the hashtag #beautybeyondsize on social media.

She continued, “I look at all my fans and the people out there that are going through the same similar struggles as me as my family, as my sisters, as my brothers. We’re just a big family trying to get through life.”

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As for how she maintains overall wellness, Graham, a mom to three boys, spoke with Shape magazine last year on how she prioritizes being happy.

She told shape, “We have a love of laughter in our home, and I think that laughter is the missing link when it comes to medicine and living a healthy lifestyle.

“Eating clean, healthy foods and moving my body and that kind of stuff seems secondary if you’re living in a sad home or a stressful place. Joy and laughter are big deals in our family.”

Graham added, “We’re not happy all the time every day, but it’s just like these little pockets of your day that you should hopefully be able to smile and just have a little joy and a little laughter.”

The loving mom explained how she makes it a point to exercise, whether it be through yoga, rollerblading, working out at home with a gym device called Tonal, or by spending time in nature with her husband and children.

How Ashley Graham’s Determination Can Serve as Inspiration for Cancer Survivors

Ashley Graham’s message of appreciating your body no matter what it looks like is a powerful one. And it’s a message that can likely resonate with many cancer survivors out there who’ve struggled with body image after treatment.

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Although Ashley Graham is not dealing with a health issue, it’s importance to understand that body image problems are not unusual, especially for so many people dealing with health challenges – whether cancer or another type of illness.

You should try to work on how you view your body because it can positively impact your emotional and physical well-being as a whole.

Learn to Accept Yourself A Huge Part of Living With Cancer

“Every day of our lives is really filled with uncertainty” but those facing a cancer diagnosis tend to feel that uncertainty at a more extreme level, Dr. William Breitbart, the chair of the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, previously told SurviorNet.

Dr. Breitbart also said that learning to embrace that uncertainty is a part of living, not just for those fighting cancer, but for everyone.

“What the task becomes is having the courage to live in the face of uncertainty, realizing that you cannot necessarily control the uncertainty in life, like the suffering that occurs, challenges both good and bad,” Dr. Breitbart says.

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“You may not be able to control those but you have control over how you choose to respond.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Marianna Strongin, a New York-based licensed clinical psychologist, also has some helpful advice. She encourages people that spending time in front of the mirror can help with body image.

Although “research has found that when looking in the mirror we are more likely to focus on the parts of our body we are dissatisfied with” which can cause “a negative self-view and lower self-esteem,” it’s important to look at the parts of your body that you love and the parts of your body that you don’t.

Eventually, Dr. Strongin says, doing so can help you create a more accepting relationship with yourself.

“Body image is both the mental picture that you have of your body and the way you feel about your body when you look in a mirror,” she said. “As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body.”

MORE: My Confidence Was Destroyed: Dealing With Body Image During Cancer Treatment

Whether you are living with cancer or some other type of illness, it’s important to know you’re not alone if you’re having a hard time with how you view your body after receiving a diagnosis or going through treatment.

SurvivorNetTV Presents: ‘SN & You Body Image: Embracing Your Body’

Learning About Positive Psychology

Another way to cope with body image and mental health is through positive psychology, an approach to mental well-being that focuses more on a person’s strengths and how they can help themselves rather than just trying to curb individual symptoms and/or diagnose a disorder.

“It is a fundamental sort of different way of thinking about patients, thinking about their experience,” Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, told SurvivorNet. “It’s not just focusing on what’s the matter. It’s also asking them, what matters to you?”

Dr. Boardman noted that positive psychology is a reimagined approach to dealing with mental struggles. “Making people feel less bad is not the same as making them feel good,” she said, referring to how this new approach encourages people to try to find happiness rather than just try to stop sadness.

This approach can be a major benefit to people who are dealing with an illness like cancer because it focuses on finding those great parts of life.

What is Positive Psychology & How Can it Help Cancer Survivors?

“Positive emotions have unique benefits above and beyond managing negative emotions,” Dr. Boardman explained.

“Sometimes you can treat a patient and get rid of some of their symptoms, and it’s not necessarily then that you find a flourishing patient you might even get an empty patient. So, really tapping into those resources where do they find positive emotions? What provides a sense of engagement for them? How can you promote positive relationships?”

If you happen to be struggling with body image during a health struggle, it’s important to know you’re not alone if you’re having a hard time with how you view your body after receiving a diagnosis or going through treatment.

Celebrity stylist Ann Caruso, for instance, previously opened up to SurvivorNet about how she was never the same after her 12 breast cancer surgeries.

Celebrity Stylist Ann Caruso on Beauty and Femininity After Cancer

“You’re not the same carefree person that you once were, and it was very hard for me to look at myself every day,” Caruso said. “It was like I was a totally different person and didn’t fit into any of my clothes for so long.”

But as time went on, Caruso said the expereince helped her redefine femininity and body image as she knew it.

“Femininity is a state of mind,” Caruso said. “And I think that’s something that we have to remind ourselves.”

Tips On Overcoming Adversity

Overcoming adversity can seem daunting. Many people think reciting upbeat mottos or pretending to be cheerful will help, but these solutions can make someone feel even more dejected than before. Instead, focus on the following steps to make meaningful change.

“Adversity And The Art of Happiness:” How Hardship Makes You Even Stronger

1.  Set a goal. No matter what the situation, create a new goal for yourself. If you have just been diagnosed with cancer or a chronic illness, perhaps one goal would be to educate yourself about the disease and the possible treatments as much as possible.

2. Make a plan. How will you achieve this goal? Your plan will help you focus on that goal. Dr. Siddhartha Ganguly refers to this determined, focused mindset as “the eye of the tiger,” which can help people dealing with health problems, such as lymphoma and other cancers.  “You have to have the eye of the tiger to go through this grueling process that is necessary these days to get rid of these virulent and aggressive cancers,” Dr. Ganguly, a cancer specialist at Houston Methodist, told SurvivorNet.

3. Rely on others. Spend time with people who show you unconditional support and encouragement. They will ease your stress and help you remember that you’re not alone in this! Dr. Samantha Boardman, a psychiatrist and author, tells SurvivorNet that one “coping strategy that can be productive is reaching out, talking to others. Having support we know is really critical in the healing process.”

4. Use positive self-talk. Leave messages with affirmations in places you frequent. Put notes around your mirror or your computer screen that say “You got this!” or “Keep going!” Cut out inspirational quotes from people you admire and surround yourself with their words.  Dr. Boardman explains to SurvivorNet that “Positive emotions have unique benefits above and beyond managing negative emotions.”

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are struggling with body image and mental health, here are some questions you may consider asking your doctor:

• Are there interventions beyond medication for my depressed or anxious feelings?
• How can I go about finding and nourishing positive emotions?
• What can I do if I’m struggling to maintain a sense of positivity?
• What lifestyle factors can I adjust to feel better mentally?

Oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Comen On How Body Image, Sexuality, & More May Change After Cancer Treatment

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.