It was a Monday morning and I was getting dressed in saggy pants and big T-shirts, since my clothes no longer fit. The voices in my head screamed,"Go step on the scale, you whale. These clothes are tighter than they were last week."

The voices lied.

The voices always lied.

Every time I stepped on the scale, I'd get a little joy when it went down. That joy was quickly replaced by input from the voices — "Drop a few more pounds and you'll really be beautiful. Everyone will love you then."

Wrong.

I've learned that being a certain weight doesn't lead to happiness. The number on the scale doesn't reflect the values you hold close within you. There are so many things I'd rather be than skinny; things that will make a real impact on the lives of myself and others.

Loving

I want to spread love around to all of the people around me and to myself. If someone is having a bad day, I want to be able to shine some light and spread a smile. People need to feel like they are appreciated and have a place in this huge world.

Loyal

I want people to know that I will always have their best interests at heart, no matter what. I want them to know that they can always count on me to lend a hand for helping, an ear for listening, or a heart for loving. When they get to know me, they will know that I will never, ever betray their trust.

Intelligent

I don't understand the saying, "brains before beauty." Why not both? I want people to be able to think of me and to know that I care about learning. They'll know I have an open mind and enjoy learning about new ideas and subjects.

Confident

I want people to know that I am confident in myself — in my body, my mind, my heart, my abilities, and everything in between. They need to look at me and know that, no matter what they say, they can't shake my confidence. Nothing can.

Strong

I want to be strong, both physically and mentally. Physically, I do not want to be like a feather or a skeleton. I want to be strong enough to carry my own weight and support my own ground. I want my organs to function and my hair to be healthy. Mentally, I want to be able to shrug off comments and to be able to help others struggling. I don't want the demons to creep back in.

Vivacious

The demons in my head sucked the energy out of me for long enough. I want to be free. I crave for my energy to be contagious to others. I want to be able to do things that any normal young adult can do without feeling tired or guilty.

Passionate

When people think of me, I want them to think about what I desire out of life. I want them to feel the passion when I talk about my career, my hobbies, my family, and my faith. I want them to know that something isn't just a pastime for me — I live for it.

Philanthropic

I want to give back to my community — to be able to volunteer with humans, animals, and the environment. I crave to experience things from other people's viewpoints; to go around in their shoes. I am fortunate and I wish to make other people feel that way.

Weird

I want people to know that I don't strive to be normal. I don't put on a fake cover every day to hide my true self away. I am purely, 100 percent strange and outlandish. If people can't accept that, then it's their loss.

Humble

While being all of these things, I just want to be humble. I don't wish to boast or brag about my accomplishments in life. I should never need to put people down in order to raise myself up.