Paige Fieldsted - Author, Blogger, Body Positive Advocate

Paige Fieldsted

Paige Fieldsted is an author, blogger, body positivity advocate, mom, wife and so much more! She’s a big believer in body positivity, self-love and embracing the differences we all have. As a blogger, Paige writes about things that matter to her - from motherhood to bulling, to social media and bad drivers - Paige shares her thoughts and real-talk in every post.

Paige has been a writer for as long as she can remember, and her love for writing eventually led her to pursue a career in journalism, where she covered everything from sports to crime and courts. While Paige loved doing interviews and writing every single day, she didn’t love the late nights and stressful deadlines that inevitably came with being a reporter. So she tweaked her career path and now works as a communications specialist at a health care company.

Paige is also an indie romance author, with two books under her belt and more to come. Her most recent book, Confessions from Your Fat Friend, is Paige’s personal memoir about growing up as the fat friend and all the struggles, heartache and loneliness that came with that. All the thoughts and feelings she’s had about being the fat friend for the past 30 years, all the things she’s never told anyone before, and all of the things she wishes people knew about life as the biggest friend in every group but what she’s been too afraid to tell anyone before now. Some of them might make you laugh or cry or think she’s crazy; some of them are funny, some of them are painful, all of them are full of truth and real-life experiences. The book also focuses on Paige’s journey to finding self-love and confidence, and how she believes this is possible for every person on this planet.

When she’s not writing or working you can find Paige dancing and singing in the kitchen with her toddler, working out, hanging out with family or reading. I’m so excited for you guys to connect with Paige, check out her work and new book, and follow along as she continues to inspire, and remind us all that it’s our differences that make the world beautiful.

I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.

I'm Paige Fieldsted. I'm an author, blogger, body positivity advocate, mom, wife and so much more! I'm an indie author of three books so far and love writing. I also have a blog that focuses on body positivity and self-love. My most recent book, Confessions from Your Fat Friend was just released and is my personal memoir about growing up as the fat friend and all the struggles, heartache and loneliness that came with that. It also focuses on my journey to finding self-love and confidence, and how I believe that is possible for every person on this planet. Now that the book is out, I've turned my attention to my blog and am hoping to really inspire others, women especially, to drop the need to be perfect and have the perfect body before they can love themselves. 

How did you get started?

I've been a writer my whole life, but only recently started doing it as something that could be my career. I started with my blog and then wrote my book from January to April this year. I got my start in body positivity after going through my own journey of learning to love myself and my body. 

What inspired the work that you're doing?

Going through my own body positivity and self-love journey. It took me years and years to realize that it's not only okay to love myself before I reach any goal weight but it so freeing. I want everyone to experience the freedom and happiness that comes from caring a little (or a lot) less about how your body looks and caring more about how it feels, how it shows up every day and all the amazing things it does for us. I want everyone to know they are worthy of love, especially love from themselves, even if they don't meet the unrealistic standards society has set for beauty. 

What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?

My biggest passion is writing and helping others feel good/comfortable in their own skin. I feel like I am just at the very beginning of living my true purpose and it is so exciting. It's taken a long time for me to find what makes me truly happy and this work I am doing now is it. I truly believe helping others find their own light and love for themselves through sharing my words and my experiences is my calling and I'm just getting started. I'm still new and growth/reaching new people is slow but I can't wait to see where this journey takes me. 

What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?

Connection, real connection with other people brings me so much joy. I am an extrovert and I crave connecting with people on a daily basis. Having conversations and really getting to know people totally makes me feel alive. Writing, in any form, music and time at home with my family are the other things I need for joy in my life

How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?

This is a constant work in progress for me. Putting my phone in a different room is a big thing I do so I'm not tempted to just reach and grab it in a moment of boredom and it really helps me stay more connected with the people I am spending time with. Another thing I practice regularly is not multi-tasking and giving all my attention to what I'm working on. This has been so hard for me, but none of us are really great at multi-tasking and it feels so good to finish one task before moving onto the next. For me, reminding myself who I am and why I'm doing what I'm doing really helps me stay grounded when things get stressful and overwhelming. 

What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?

My younger self would be so proud of what I'm doing now. To be able to turn all the heartache and tears I experienced in my teens and early 20s into something inspiring, empowering and helpful for other woman is something I could've never dreamed I would be doing. What I'm doing now is not what I expected for my life, but I honestly couldn't imagine anything else now that I'm living it. 

Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation?

I tend to be overdramatic and in every situation, my mind always goes to the worst possible outcome, so I am constantly telling myself, "It is going to be O.K." I probably say that to myself at least 10 times a day, if not more. It is just a reminder to me that nothing is permanent or as dramatic as it seems in the moment. 

What is your biggest dream?

My biggest dream for myself personally is to be able to travel, support my family and live comfortably solely from my writing. My dream for society as a whole is to realize how beautiful our differences are and embrace them, embrace the different, instead of being fearful or judgemental about differences. 

To learn more about Paige and her work you can connect with her on her website www.paigefieldsted.com and on Instagram @paigemfh and on Facebook @paigefieldstedauthor and you can find her new book, Confessions From Your Fat Friend here

Joy Corner is an interview-style blog series brought to you by Seek The Joy Podcast. Our mission continues to be a desire to share your stories, truths, joys and inspiration in your words. We invite you to join our corner, and share your joys, passions, and moments of inspiration as we continue to seek the joy, together. Join this series here