I've always been the girl that will say I'm going to eat healthier, drink more water, and go to the gym more. I always stick with it for about two weeks and then get back on the same path I was on before. In high school, I told myself that I wasn't going to let the freshman 15 hit me. Little did I know that it would hit me at a truck. With the culture that we live in now, it's hard to not fall into the black hole of social media.

At the beginning of this year, I decided that this was going to be the year where I start taking care of myself and my body. I started going to a Dance2Fit class near my house, not really sure what to expect. I left my class absolutely in love with the class. After the class, I started eating healthy foods and drinking so much more water. I overall feel so much better about myself and I love feeling all the changes in my health and overall self.

My family and friends have been super supportive of me while I've been trying to live a healthier lifestyle. However, I've had my fair share of laughs and giggles when I order grilled chicken and sweet potato fries at a restaurant rather than a cheeseburger and french fries. I was talking with one of my best friends and biggest supporters the other about how discouraging it can get to hear "Oh, you don't need to lose any weight." She reminded me that "skinny shaming" is just as real as "fat shaming." She reminded me that my healthy journey is for no one but myself.

Basically what I'm trying to say is to encourage. Spread joy and kindness around like its confetti. Build up, empower, and encourage. You never really know what someone else is going through.