You need to be more confident. You need to smile more. You’d be prettier if you smiled. Don’t look so sad. Why do you always look mad? Don’t wear that. You need to lose weight. I told you that you would gain your weight back. Don’t be upset. Why are you ignoring me? What’s wrong with you?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this among other things. Do people really think they are helping because they aren’t. Saying these things to me might get you a fake smile, a thanks or a nod. It's so annoying that they think it is helping things. It's not. It's irritating and can even become hurtful. It's also none of their business.

The people who say these things are so entitled. No one should tell anyone how they are supposed to feel or look.

If I want to be mad for a whole day, so be it. If I want to wear yoga pants and a tank top, I will. It’s not up to someone else to determine what I want to do or how I do it. If I was at work and looking unprofessional that's a whole other issue. What I do is not their concern unless I am hurting myself or others. I am in control of how I feel regardless of what someone thinks.

My weight is not up to anyone. If I gain weight, as long as I am not at some risk of congestive heart failure, I gain some weight. I might be happy with the way I look even if I weigh more than I did six months ago. It doesn’t affect them in the least.

I am my own person. If I want to frown I will or if I want to smile, I will. I can guarantee I will do the opposite of what you want or at least do it with as much sarcasm I can muster. Your comments are not going to help anything. I will wear what I want to and do what I want even if you express your distaste about it because you are not in control of me. I am. I take care of myself. I love myself. Your opinion doesn't matter.

So please take your criticism and do something productive that helps society. Don't police people around you. Worry about yourself. I promise everyone will appreciate it and more people will want to be around you.