At 36, Krystal wears a lot of hats. She’s a wife, a mom of two, and until recently, worked as a 911 dispatcher…so she is someone who understands the weight of showing up for other people every single day.
She’s been married to her high school sweetheart for ten years, and when life slows down, you’ll usually find them playing video games together or spending time at the beach with their family.
Like many women, Krystal almost didn’t give herself permission to do something like this.
She has spent years feeling self-conscious about her body, and one of the biggest reasons she applied for the 30 Over 30: Proof of Her Project was simple:
She wanted to see herself the way her husband has always seen her.
The desire to step outside of your own inner critic for just a moment is something I hear from so many women.
Krystal’s story also includes experiences no child should ever have to endure. Trauma may leave lasting marks, but it has also shaped the compassion she carries today. Rather than allowing those experiences to define her, she’s found ways to use what she’s survived to help others.
For a long time, she believed there was a body requirement attached to experiences like this…that she had to be skinny before she deserved to be photographed. Thankfully, that’s a belief she’s willing to leave behind.
Today, what she’s most proud of isn’t a number on a scale. It’s the family she’s building.
She is raising her children differently than she was raised, creating a healthier, safer environment where they can grow up knowing they are loved. Breaking cycles is some of the hardest work a person can do, and it’s something worth being proud of.
One thing people often misunderstand about Krystal is that they assume she’s a pushover. The truth is, strength doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes it’s quiet consistency. Sometimes it’s choosing kindness. Sometimes it’s surviving what you’ve survived and continuing to show up anyway.
And for the woman who’s still waiting until she’s “more ready,” Krystal has a message:
Do it anyway. Love your body now, not when you’ve conformed to society’s expectations.
When asked to finish the sentence “The woman I’ve become is…” her answer was beautifully simple:
Strong.
Not because life has been easy, but because she’s faced what life gave her, kept moving forward, and is creating something better for the next generation.
She wrote that when she saw her portraits, she hoped to feel confident and beautiful.
After her boudoir shoot, Krystal found exactly what she was looking for:
“Alisha and her team helped me find that beauty within that my husband always saw. I’m so excited for my husband to see the images and for me to remember that the beautiful woman he always sees is in me all the time. Don’t wait! No matter your size or age you are perfect the way you are and this can and will empower you.”
Get started on planning your own session with us today by scheduling a short, pressure-free phone call: https://atlanticboudoir.com/consult
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