LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 15: Selena Gomez attends the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on January 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Pop star Selena Gomez opened up about her journey towards self-acceptance in a series of Instagram Story posts on Monday (Jan. 22). The 31-year-old, founder of Rare Beauty, shared two photos of herself in a bikini from different phases of her life, reflecting on her changing body image.

In the first snapshot, a younger and slimmer Gomez is seen by the pool in a Zebra-print two-piece. The Only Murders in the Building actress expressed her realization, writing, “Today, I realized I will never look like this again….”

The second photo captured a more recent moment, showing Gomez in a swimsuit climbing the steps of a boat. Alongside this image, she added, “I’m not perfect but I am proud to be who I am..sometimes I forget it’s ok to be me.”

Known for her advocacy of body positivity, Gomez has been candid about her weight fluctuations since being diagnosed with Lupus in the 2010s. Addressing online trolls in a March podcast, she shared, “It was like they couldn’t wait to find a thing to bring me down.” Gomez emphasized her resilience, explaining that despite posting positive messages online, she sometimes struggled with the negativity in private.

Currently working on her upcoming album, the Emmy nominee recently released the track “Single Soon” in August, produced by Benny Blanco, who is also her boyfriend of several months. Selena Gomez continues to use her platform to inspire self-love and acceptance in the face of societal pressures.