Just The Way You Are

Beautiful and profound words if you think about it. No wonder they are included in the timeless, classic song by Billy Joel. I have debated whether or not to share this event as it is deeply personal and a pretty big deal for me. However, at the end of the day, my goal is to be a light and inspire people though my music and message. A large part of what I write about as an artist is my life, and life experience. After all, it is what this blog is all about, my music, my life, and my dreams… and how all of those things can touch people in some small way for the better. So, after living this experience, if I can stop one person from making the same mistake that I did a long time ago, I decided it was worth it to share my experience. So here it goes. 

I am having Breast Implant Removal Surgery tomorrow, better known as Breast Explant Surgery. What in the heck in the world you might be thinking… I know Breast Implants might not be a term that comes to mind when thinking about me, but yes, I did a dumb thing when I was younger. A very dumb thing by getting Saline Breast Implants, and I am about to undo that mistake. 

It all started when I got married way too young to the wrong person, and well instead of understanding that I was fine just the way that I was… I allowed myself to be pressured, bullied and brainwashed into thinking that I needed to change myself to be good enough. When the truth of the matter is that even after I did the breast implants, they did not change that person. Because it was never really about me or how “I” looked, it was a deeper issue with that person. If you’re guessing that we did not last, you guessed correct. Nothing in life is perfect, we all have to live and learn in order to grow and become the person we were meant to be, and in love it is the same. If we do not kiss some frogs, we will never find our Prince Charming. 

If I am honest about it, I never really wanted the implants in the first place. I have always been athletic, and loved to run, circuit train, lift weights, etc. They have always gotten in the way of that, as well as making me feel very self conscious. For years I have worn compression and sports bras at all times, to try to hide them or make them less noticeable. My decision to have them removed was a culmination of many things including not only the mental & physical issues with them, but also in learning how detrimental to my heath they are. Additionally, I have a Capsular Contracture, which is the term used for when the capsule of scar tissue made by the body around the implant starts to squeeze the implant causing pain.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis a few years back which has taken me on a journey of learning so much about health and wellness. It really started a few years earlier during the covid years when I discovered how upside down our healthcare system in this country is. I also learned how toxic our everyday world is, from the things we put on our skin, our food, makeup, hair care, etc. I have become an ingredient detective. I read every label, and have removed most all toxic things from my environment. I changed my skincare, makeup, only eat organic food, stay away from carbs, eat healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil and butter, do not eat sugar and exercise religiously via heavy weights, yoga, trampoline, you name it. I get eight hours of sleep a night, take a boatload of supplements, and even with all of this, I have improved my condition, but I was not getting one hundred percent better. 

Bottom line for me, having plastic which is an endocrine disruptor actually inside of my body is, I am one hundred percent certain not helping my health in any way, shape matter or form. I started researching Explant Surgery and discovered the growing movement to expose the dangers of Breast Implants and how much better women who opt. for removal become. After much contemplation, and going over it with my now husband (whom I have been happily married to for many years who loves me just the way that I am) we decided that it was time for them to come out. 

The message is simple. There is so much pressure for perfection. It has always existed, but every day that goes by with technology permeating nearly every aspect of our lives, as the need for instant gratification grows, the opportunity for comparison is worse than ever. Remember, comparison is the thief of joy. I want young girls, grown women, heck any woman to understand this one thing… you are perfect just the way you are. 

There is no prefect body, there is no perfect anything. Nothing is perfect. Life is one big beautiful mess, and it is up to us to make of it what we will. We were all created by God, he saw us in the womb before we were ever born, and if anyone takes one thing from my coming out about having this done, is that you do not need to change yourself. I don’t mean not striving to better your health or physical body through exercise and nutrition. I mean, do not do drastic things like injections to keep your face frozen for all time, and do not mutilate your body to please other people. I was naive in thinking that by changing my body to someone else’s idea of “perfection” that they would be content with me, but that didn’t happen because it was never about me. 

I want people to remember, you were beautifully and wonderfully made. You are perfect, just the way that you are. I am excited and scared, but I know that in the end I will be me again and that is something I cannot wait to see. I hope that by sharing my experience it can help in some way help people to remember who they are… The rest anything you want to change for yourself, education, to lose weight, gain weight, hair color, any of that it is fine to change, if it is for you. Don’t go thinking you need to mutilate your body in search of perfection because it does not exist. 

Do you, and if the Debbie downers of the world don’t like it, stuff cotton balls in your ears and carry on your merry way. If that doesn’t help, you could always play my song “I Don’t Even Care” on and turn it up. You just had to know I would have to get one little shameless plug in about my music, didn’t you? 

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com