Duck Dynasty's Sadie Robertson Huff on motherhood and surviving social media: 'you have to know who you are'

Duck Dynasty's Sadie Robertson Huff on motherhood and surviving social media: 'you have to know who you are'

Video Transcript

SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF: I think we have to take responsibility when it comes to social media and not just blame these tech companies and the platform. When I started doing stuff and using my platform for something bigger than who I am, it actually made me more confident.

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KERRY JUSTICH: Today I'm chatting with Sadie Robertson Huff, the former star of "Duck Dynasty," turned author, podcaster, and mom. All about her journey with body image and the impact of social media. You grew up in front of the camera and in front of an audience of people watching you on television. What impact would you say that had on your body image while you were growing up?

SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF: Being on camera in general can definitely make you feel pretty nitpicky on what your body looks like because you see yourself on camera so much and people comment on your body so much that you're hyper aware of what it looks like. Being on "Dancing With The Stars," my body just whipped into shape very fast. Everyone started noticing that my body looked good, I guess, and commenting on this.

And then it led me down some very unhealthy patterns when it came to what I ate, what I thought about my body. But I think that that happens to a lot of people. I think when people make comments on people, like, your in incredible shape or you look so good, they mean it out of good attention. But sometimes if you're not in a healthy spot, you can take that as a pressure to maintain it.

KERRY JUSTICH: You've talked a lot about how your faith helped you to overcome your eating disorder. How would you explain the role that your faith had in that process?

SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF: Whenever I was struggling with an eating disorder, I lean on the words that Jesus says that actually I am loved and that I'm not too far gone. And not only can I forgive other people, but I can forgive myself and move on.

KERRY JUSTICH: Going through your pregnancy, your body changes so much. And for so many women, that's a jarring experience. Did you have any fears about the way that you would react to your body changing during pregnancy?

SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF: The gift of pregnancy is such a miracle. And I was just so blown away by the fact that, like, that was happening inside of me, that I don't even think I had time to think about what I looked like. Perspective can kill you, your perspective can make you. I threw up every single day from week seven to wake 24. And it's not like I had this perfect pregnancy. But at the end of the day, gratitude defeats many feelings of fear and many feelings of insecurity that you might have.

KERRY JUSTICH: Perspective is so important. And I feel like, especially talking about your new book, "Where Are You Following," that's such a huge part in it. From your earliest experiences of social media, how have you been able to change your perspective to allow yourself to show up so authentically and not put so much weight onto you the way that people perceive you, the comments that they leave?

SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF: I don't go on social media needing anything from anyone. I can get 200 positive comments, but the 10 negative ones are the ones that stick out, you know? And you have to know who you are so that those don't destroy you. I've done some social media clean outs for sure because who I'm following is who is influencing me.

We have to look at ourselves, we have to look in the mirror and say, wait a second, maybe I'm contributing to this and maybe I could be a better contributor to make it a positive space.

KERRY JUSTICH: We've, obviously, covered your extensive journey with body image and all of the lessons that you've learned both on and off social media. Now as a mother, how do you hope to pass those things on to your daughter?

SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF: She's my greatest inspiration when it comes to all things because I just know that if we don't make a change in our world, then it will be no different for her, it'll be harder for her. And there's this verse in scripture, and it says, "You knit me together in my mother's womb. You fearfully and wonderfully made me." That's the hope for Honey, that she would always know she's fearfully and wonderfully made.

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