Have you ever woken up on a bad day and looked in the mirror and thought you weren’t beautiful?
You might feel this way because you’re less beautiful, because you’re taller, shorter, and darker, or because you tend to weigh more than the average Joe. Imagine living your life feeling like this most of the time, and definitely not because of choice. I, as a person who has been struggling to fit in by attempting to increase my happiness by decreasing my food, have something to say to you about this.
I have been overweight ever since I was in my early teens; it was not because I ate more or because I was unhealthy but simply because of genes. I tried one diet after the next, but nothing really seemed to work. I still recall instances where I would get picked on or even bullied because I was not as small as some of the girls. At the time and even nowadays I still resent myself at times because I think that not being as thin as some people are, thinking that I somewhat have a lesser value than others. I myself have experienced instances where I felt uncomfortable in my own skin even when going out shopping with my friends or my sister to buy clothes, something which no one should ever experience. For all of you out there who think that they are the only ones feeling like this, you’re not.
What annoys me the most as an "overweight’ (a term which in itself is conditioned to entail a negative anecdote-something which I hate) person is receiving comments about not being healthy or that I do not exercise enough or that I don’t eat healthy. Well, you know, guess what? I actually do eat healthily, more than most people I know. I now maintain a regular diet, with no extremes. I eat every couple of hours whilst maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Am I perfect? No, but really who is? This way of thinking is not so easy to grasp, it takes a lot of time and effort and constant support. I urge everyone reading this article to become more considerate to people who are different than you and not be too quick to pass judgement. We need to stop categorizing and start thinking of ourselves as beautiful beings regardless of our shape and size.
One final thing I would like to tell you and what I myself should keep in mind is that comparison is where happiness ends. So stop comparing yourself to others and be happy in your own skin. Remember that you are a unique beautiful human being!