Self-image is hard. I have always struggled with that. I have never been the skinny girl or the one who can wear a size small. I am constantly surrounded by people or things in my society that makes me feel like I am not good enough or I am not worth anything.
All the “skinny” girls get the guys, they get invited to everything, they go shopping every weekend. It affects me every day. You try not to let it get to you because you know that you cannot control your body. You were made and that is who you are.
This has taken me a long time to express to anyone. I look at people and feel jealous or embarrassed. I do not like wearing shorts unless I have to so people do not have to see my legs. I do not like to wear the “in style” shirts because my stomach might pop out.
My family constantly tells me I am beautiful or cute but sometimes you wish you could hear it from someone else.
What I have learned through all of this is I have to love myself and my self-image before I could ever love someone else. I matter. My body matters. My beauty matters. I might not be beautiful in the skinny way, but I can show my beauty in a way from my heart and that I accept who I am and not who I think I want to be.
Beauty is a word that can mean so many different things. I think everyone is beautiful and has beauty in them. Maybe in different ways but I believe we all have it.
You are beautiful.
-Sydnee