‍"Honestly, shooting with Karlo was amazingly freeing!"

SundayGirl of the week, Zoe Pevensie shares her thoughts and feelings about loving yourself. Despite Zoe looking like the ideal beauty standard, she still struggles to accept her body. Zoe says, "A lot of times I’m insecure about parts of my body that others don’t even notice, like having darker armpits or breaking out more than I’d like to." We know overcoming this, is no easy task. But working daily towards it will get you closer to loving yourself.

Zoe ends by saying, "Other days I love everything about it and accept my differences!"

Sunday: What’s your ethnicity?

Zoe: I’m mixed with British and West African

‍Sunday: What’s your age?

Zoe: 22

Sunday: What is one major way you’ve struggled to appreciate or love your body?

Zoe: I grew up having a lot of acne and skin issues. I struggled with dark armpits and body acne, so I’d never go out in a tank top or even want to wear a bikini growing up.

Sunday: Why do you think women develop negative relationships with their bodies?

Zoe: Truly it’s because of society’s expectations and vision of what “true beauty” is. It even boils down to what we see in movies and magazines: women waking up with a full face of makeup claiming they have perfect skin. Or the photos we see in magazines are photoshopped beyond belief while people are claiming that’s what they truly look like everyday. It’s false advertisement!

Sunday: What are a couple ways you’ve found to overcome negativity in relation to your body?

Zoe: I’ve honestly used meditation to help slow my mind down. I find that I can truly be at peace in that state and happy with myself. Also, realizing that we do live in a society where something online or on social media isn’t someone’s true look or personality. So really knowing that makes me feel less bad.

Sunday: What’s one thing you wish would change in the world to help present and future generations of women feel more beautiful in their own skin?

‍Zoe: I would change the commercials and images of women with perfect skin and hair. Because once multiple women know that others commonly suffer with their self image, I know it can make women’s self confidence sky rocket.

Sunday: What do you love most about your body, and why?

‍Zoe: I love most how my body can mold into what I want it to be because of my genetics. If I want to be curvier I can do that easily, if I want to be skinnier I can as well. Just all about the workouts and discipline, I know not everyone can do that, so it truly makes me happy!

Sunday: How was it shooting with Karlo with no makeup?

‍Zoe: Honestly, it was amazingly freeing! Since our photoshoot I have worn less and less makeup. No lie, I use to show up everywhere with fake lashes, hair done perfectly, nails always done, and Karlo made me realize I didn’t need all of that! My confidence went up, and it shortened my time needed to get ready! Thanks Karlo :)

"There is no other YOU!"

Sunday: Do you typically wear makeup? If so why?

‍Zoe: I definitely don’t wear as much as I used to, but when I do it’s as natural as possible. I typically only use foundation and concealer, mainly to cover any blemishes I may have.

Sunday: How do you keep yourself healthy? 

‍Zoe: I eat as Vegan as I possibly can and I make sure I drink a gallon of water a day. I get 30 mins of exercise per day. Oh, and always, always 8 hours of sleep! Sleep is good.

Sunday: What physical activities make you feel better?

‍Zoe: When I was younger, I was heavily into weightlifting. Unfortunately, it put a lot of stress on my body. I was always tired and I didn’t look forward to going to the gym. Now, I prefer activities that will help my cardiovascular health like: Barre Classes or Pilates. Whatever my body is craving I listen. I try to run outside every morning or even go on a hike to get some fresh air.

Sunday: What do you typically eat to stay healthy?

‍Zoe: Lots and lots of greens! Smoothies and salads. I do my best to avoid white flour and dairy. I treat myself to sugar at least 2x week (I’m still trying to get rid of my sugar addiction) lol. 

Beyond Beef is a favorite of mine with some brown rice and avocados if I want something more bulky. The more colorful your plate the better! 

Sunday: What words of inspiration can you give to a girl struggling to love her body?

Zoe: The best advice I can give you is, feeling completely comfortable with yourself is a life time struggle. I completely get it, but put it this way. There is no other YOU! You are unique and beautiful and irreplaceable LITERALLY. You never know who you are and who you continue to inspire even on those days when you are hating yourself. Your uniqueness makes you SO powerful. And trust me, someone is out there appreciating you. So, don’t let social media, movies and media distract you from yourself. Work on loving yourself and you’ll be unstoppable.

Sunday: In your own words describe the feeling of being sexy?

Zoe: Being sexy is feeling complete bliss and perfection within yourself. Feeling perfect without people having to acknowledge it. Whether it’s when you throw on your favorite pair of heels or dress, or even those comfortable sweatpants that make you feel confident.

"Being sexy is feeling complete bliss and perfection within yourself."

"I love feeling sexy because it’s beyond empowering. In a spiritual sense you feel so uplifted and unstoppable. Your smile never leaves your face."

Sunday: Why do you love feeling sexy?

Zoe: I love feeling sexy because it’s beyond empowering. In a spiritual sense you feel so uplifted and unstoppable. Your smile never leaves your face.

Sunday: What does loving your body mean to you?

Zoe: Loving your body is being at harmony with yourself, no matter your differences. While being healthy and treating your body with the love it deserves!

Sunday: How do you view your body?

Zoe: It depends on the day. A lot of times I’m insecure about parts of my body that others don’t even notice, like having darker armpits or breaking out more than I’d like to. Other days I love everything about it and accept my differences!

Sunday: Why did you get tattoos?

Zoe: I got tattoos as a form of expression. I grew up with a pretty tough childhood and that’s when I became the most spiritually connected, because all I had was myself and my thoughts. My tattoos are basically timelines of lessons and reminders of a higher power that will always move me forward positively!

Sunday: How has SMV impacted you?

Zoe: How haven’t they impacted me?! The amount of mental clarity I’ve gotten from simply being apart of this movement has really changed me in the best way possible. I’ve met so many beautiful women of all shapes and sizes, and you understand you’re apart of something so much more than you realize. I realized all women have their  insecurities, and that women have struggled so much because of them. It’s a beautiful thing that we can get together and fight against exactly what has tormented our minds and brainwashed us for so long. It was truly like looking in the mirror for the first time and loving myself for what I was. Thank you SMV!

"don’t let social media, movies and media distract you from yourself. Work on loving yourself and you’ll be unstoppable."

Sunday: Thanks Zoe! To see more of Zoe please follow her @zoepevensie

Here are more photos from her photo shoot spread

"My tattoos are basically timelines of lessons and reminders of a higher power that will always move me forward positively!"

"I feel most sexy when I’m alone, nude or in my favorite pair of underwear. There’s something so freeing about it."

"What I love most about my butt is that I can truly say I’ve worked my butt off for it. It took years of hard work to get it the way I wanted it so now I can be proud of what I’ve built!"