Your acne identity

Almost a decade ago, I wrote a blog called “How coconut oil ruined my face and changed my life” where I talked about my acne experience.

Then a few years after that, I posted a video about it on Youtube that went viral (viral according to my standards😉).

I got an outpouring amount of love and support from friends and strangers alike, and my acne story soon became a big part of my identity.

It was great that my story resonated with so many people.

It was great that so many people found inspiration & hope from my story.

It was great that I was getting so much external validation on a topic I felt deeply insecure about.

Then one day,

…I took it all down.

I don’t know what got to me exactly, but there was a little whisper in my ear that started to make me wonder if I was somehow keeping myself stuck by holding onto this identity of mine — the girl who suffers from severe cystic acne & acne scars.

I didn’t want that to become my entire story.

I didn’t want that to become what I’m known for.

So I decided to take all of it down and began the process of disassociating myself from that version of me.

I’ll be honest, there have been moments over the past few years where I wondered if I would’ve become a famous skinfluencer by now had I kept it all up.

And who knows? Maybe I would’ve been part of the OG #skinpositivity movement on social media.

BUT, I don’t regret having made that decision. And here’s why:

I truly believe that my efforts to no longer identify as an acne sufferer is what started to shift things for me.

I began to spend less time talking about and obsessing over my skin.

I began to shift my focus and attention to the other areas of my life.

I began to practice taking on a new identity as someone who’s already cleared her skin.

And slowly but surely, I began to expand my capacity to become someone with clear skin.

By no means is my skin perfect, but now, I go out make-up free on most days.

I maybe have a pimple or two every 6 months compared to waking up to full-blown cystic acne on my face daily.

I don’t even think twice about my skin before I go out.

All of which felt impossible at the time.

This might sound like a strange question, but I want you to ask yourself:

Is there ANY part of you that might subconsciously be benefiting from being an acne sufferer?

Is there ANY part of you that might subconsciously be benefiting from staying the same?

Is it a way for you to avoid failure or rejection?

Is it somehow keeping you safe & comfortable in your own bubble?

Is it giving you the attention & support you seek from the people in your life?

Despite doing everything “right”, if you’re still having trouble managing your acne, it’s worth exploring and getting honest with yourself about what you might be holding on to in your acne identity.

What is the upside?

Could there be something that makes having acne a comfortable or safe space for you?

And are you willing to let that go?

Are you ready to part ways with that version of yourself?

Remember, if you want to get clear skin, you first need to recognize that your healing journey involves more than just finding the right products and treatments.

It requires inner work, self-discovery and peeling the deeper layers too.

XO,

Your acne freedom coach, Lydia