Samira Wiley's Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Confidence and Activism

Samira Wiley exudes way too much confidence, but was she built that way? How confident was she while growing up?

Well, to the first question, far from it. The Orange is the New Black star struggled a lot with self-confidence and accepting who she is.

So, what changed?

According to Samira, she was once body-shamed at some point in her life. An inappropriate comment made about her during a photoshoot struck a chord within her.

And boom! That marked the beginning of her activism for self-care and body acceptance.

Here are the twists and turns of her journey.

No one wants a negative medical report. Sure you don't! Definitely not Samira too! She was just 12 when she was diagnosed with diabetes.

However, it wasn’t until 10 years later (and after a couple of ER visits) that Samira made her health her priority and started practicing body gratitude.

“I wasn't doing anything and my body was just carrying me along," Samira told PopSugar. "And to be able to give that love, repay that love back to my body is a privilege."

Soon after taking measurable steps about her health, The Handmaid's Tale star took to activism. She started lending her voice to young girls and women.

Then she started striving to be a model of healthy living to her daughter, George Elizabeth.

Guess what?

The Emmy winner, who used to feel embarrassed using her meds on set, now does it with so much confidence and joy.

Embracing body positivity is an important feat for the American actress. And she believes there’s so much work to do about it.

Focused on promoting body gratitude, Samira Wiley collaborated with One A Day, a multivitamin brand. They both started a program they called “The Gratitude Project.”

So what's it about?

Well, it's a documentary encouraging personal acts of gratitude. The activist says she lives and breathes gratitude and hopes to recruit people into the act. So much for a routine, yeah!

According to her, she’s also mindful of what she consumes. She drinks water, takes a smoothie or salad, and exercises occasionally. Just a simple routine. No more, no less!

Besides nurturing her physical body, there's one more thing she does.

Samira tends to her mind through meditation. But there's a conundrum.

When she tries meditating, her mind sometimes drifts away towards thoughts of food she’d love to eat, parties, and sceneries she’s been to. What a bummer… and a way to meditate!

Yes, Samira admits she’s no expert, but she’s always tried her best. She’s putting in effort, and that counts for something, right?

Guess her favorite self-care routine too—journaling! Samira has always journaled as a child. So we can tell why she enjoys it. So what else?

After meditating, she sits down and journals her thoughts, which she finds therapeutic.

Samira Wiley continues to influence positive change and equality for everyone. All she wants to do is to spread a message of love and acceptance through her art and activism. This is a whole lot, I guess.

From being an ardent advocate for feminism, LGBTQ, wellness, and self-care, Samira Wiley strives to leave the world a better place.