21 Comments
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Morgan Hostetler's avatar

This is my favorite Substack I’ve ever read. Way to reflect, way to reframe, way to choose wisdom, age and truth, way to be genuinely you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Helena Hodne's avatar

Wow, thank you for this beautiful message back!

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Kristin Mackensen's avatar

“there's so much more to life than the pants that used to fit.“ This! Perfectly said. Title of a book?

Enjoyed this Substack as it’s so important to have perspective in this critical world and so many of us can relate to these feelings.

Thanks for the honesty!

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Annette's avatar

Thank you for this honesty!!! I def feel less alone and neurotic. 😁

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Emily Grady Dodge's avatar

What is it about our damn jaws??? I’m obsessed over mine :( Thank you for sharing this - it’s nice to acknowledge such feelings with a sort of casualness. I think it will make a lot of people feel less alone in their own overly critical thoughts!

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Helena Hodne's avatar

it doesn't help that society is obsessed with the jaw more than ever - so it seems!

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Jenna McWilliam's avatar

Love this!

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Dr Mandira Adhikari's avatar

I can relate to each and every word that you wrote. The outfit, our mentality and the industry, everything has changed. I wish I could be more grateful back in those days, but I am definitely at a calmer (even if fatter and with lesser work) state than before.

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Helena Hodne's avatar

could not agree more!

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KV's avatar

I read somewhere, take a picture of yourself and 5 years later you will look back and think, wow, I looked great. Great reminder to appreciate our looks and life as it changes.

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Helena Hodne's avatar

This is so true and I try to remind myself of this on a regular basis.

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Stacey Thomas's avatar

Thank you for this honest reflection. Feel this so hard.

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Tori Cardenas Mabry's avatar

The message I needed today. Thank you so much for this reminder! ✨

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Grace Atwood's avatar

This HITS. And maybe it is because we are the exact age, (happy almost birthday to us!).

One thing I will say is that I look back at those old photos (in the smaller clothing, with the more defined jawline) of myself and remember that back then I wasn't happy with how I looked. So it motivates me in a way, to not be so mean to myself. Because I know that six years from now, I will look back at photos of me now and think how great I looked.

Hugs, and thanks for the vulnerabiltiy! xx

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Helena Hodne's avatar

Happy almost birthday to us indeed!!

YES. You nailed it. Thank you for this comment!

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Jennifer's avatar

This libra that is nearly 42 concurs.

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Helena Hodne's avatar

team Libraaaa!

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Jessica's avatar

Just had this same thing happen. I have a dress that I had bought from a little boutique in Williamsburg that I wore to a wedding in 2008 in Lake Como. It was $350 and I had never spent that much on a dress. I happened to be looking at pictures from that wedding recently and decided to try on the dress…..and my rib cage has expanded so it was too small by several inches. 😩 But I’ll keep it forever, I just love seeing it hang in my closet and I love the memory of wearing it on that day, the only time I wore it. And luckily I have 2 daughters so maybe one of them can wear it someday. ❤️

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Neale Fiorito's avatar

Helena! Love this and totally relate. But this event was at Macy's! I went and I left thinking wow her suit was SO cool!

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Jess Alayne's avatar

Little victories with the jacket. And also I feel this so much - with age we gain wisdom but we do miss those clothes. I have a similar pair from Veronica Beard that will never fit but represent such a TIME in my life.

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Dina's avatar

So poignant! I know exactly what you’re talking about and was actually doing the same thinking and re-living via pics earlier this week. I’ve realized looking back at pics of a “past” me that while I truly love and appreciate her, I don’t want to be her anymore. Because she doesn’t know everything I know now, and there is so much growth that happened between then & now 😌

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