Nicole Hagen - She Is Project

On the night of January 12, 2025, I got into my car with the intention of never returning. I was depressed, anxious, overwhelmed, and struggling to ‘keep it all together’. Postpartum with my second child, I was at the heaviest weight I’d ever been and I was losing my battle with mental health.

Crying alone, I called my friend and shared everything I was going through. With support from her, Jesus, and many others, I started to make changes.

I went to a psychiatrist and signed up for therapy to address my ADD, depression, anxiety, and food addiction. I established healthy habits like daily walking and nutrition supplements.

I decided I wasn’t going to be stuck anymore. About one year later, I made another decision. I wanted to gift my husband with boudoir photos.

What started as doing something for my spouse (booking a boudoir photoshoot) became another important part of my journey.

Through the process that was my photoshoot, I was able to see myself as I never had before. The way I believe my husband sees me. I saw myself as sexy, gorgeous, and radiant. I want all women to believe in their beauty.

I believe this is important because God created us all as such. Women spend a lot of time comparing themselves to others and even to who they used to be. I was so guilty of this. Once I had kids, my body was completely different. I no longer had time to do my hair and makeup each morning.

I fell into the thoughts that I was somehow less anything because I had stretch marks, scars, and fat in different places. Yes, my body did change. I grew, birthed, and fed 2 baby girls WITH MY BODY. That is nothing short of a miracle! You are nothing short of a miracle. I believe this is important to share because so many women can get stuck - just like I was. It can get hard to see that things could get better. But if I can help even one woman come to believe in her value, then it's worth it.

If you’re reading this, I want you to know 3 things: You are loved, your value is fixed, and you are worth taking care of. You were created in God’s image - beautiful and with purpose. In the Bible, the Hebrew word that God uses to describe a woman is “Ezer”, which is a word He uses to describe himself. Women are highly regarded, even specifically stated as more precious than jewels.

I want you to know that you are not ‘less than’ because of anything you've been through. In fact, it's because of those things that you are who you are today.

Never let anyone make you feel inferior and stop comparing yourself to others. You are wonderfully created - a precious gift.