I am not a size zero. I’m not even a size 10.

But I refuse to apologize for the size of my body.

I also don’t have perfect skin, perfect hair, or even perfect teeth.

But I work really hard to love my body regardless of the size.

I work hard to not let myself get down and not to let in my demons in the form of depression and anxiety.

The number of times I’ve been told I’m not good enough and that I need to lose some weight is actually really discouraging.

As children, we are taught to eat healthy and to exercise. As children, if you are overweight it’s “just baby fat” and “you’ll grow out of it.”

But when your teen years hit and you don’t grow out of it, that’s when the battles begin.

Children and teenagers are viscous.

“Ever heard of ProActive?”

“Pizza face!”

I went to countless doctors about my acne. And the more I tried the worse it got.

And the more medications I was put on, the more weight I put on. It was a viscous circle.

I spent years telling myself it was going to get better.

I spent years fending off the bullies because I felt like I wasn’t good enough.

And then I graduated and I faced bullies in the form of “best friends.”

And that was when I discovered that sometimes the bullies can come in the form of people you love.

But it was also when I discovered that you can love someone and cut them out of your life. Especially when they bully you.