I have always been self-conscious about my body, and whether I was a size 2 or a size 10, I never felt that I was "skinny enough." I used to look at myself in the picture above and be disgusted with the way I looked. When others told me I was "overweight," or that I "should definitely go on a diet," I listened. I believed that the way others perceived my worth was how I should perceive my own. That was my first mistake. I believe that every woman has felt self-conscious about herself at one point in her life. I think other women, as well as men, need to stop the gossip surrounding appearance. Why would we want to make others feel horrible about themselves when we know how awful it is to feel that way?

No one is allowed to base your worth as a human being, on your weight. More than that, no one ever has the right to put you down for the way you look. A person's value does not rely on her physical appearance. A woman should never be judged for not wearing makeup, for wearing a dress you might think is "ugly," or for eating a donut every once in a while. I find it ironic that many of the people who choose to spend their time putting others down, are insecure themselves. In fact, they are so unbelievably shallow. To everyone who has ever body shamed someone: did you ever ask if the woman who gained/lost a significant amount of weight if she is okay? Do you know if perhaps she has lost a loved one, has an eating disorder, or perhaps a mental illness? Did you offer her a shoulder to lean on, or did you just judge her? More often than not, people make judgements on things they know very little about. Perhaps, if you took the time to check up on your friend, you would realize she needs positive affirmation, a workout buddy, or to be reminded to eat. What she does not need to hear is "you look so much better now," for that implies you valued her less before. If you think that appearance is the only thing that matters in life, you will never truly live a day of your life. Surely, that is a burden I would not want to bear. While you are busy trying to conform to others' ideas of what you should look like, we will all be busy embracing our true selves.

To everyone that has ever been body-shamed: you are worth more than your weight. You deserve to be defined by the content of your character, the size of your heart, and the light you bring into this world. Though remaining positive about your body may seem like an uphill battle given all of the "perfection" we see on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, it is a battle worth fighting, for yourself. Sure, none of us may look like Victoria's Secret models. Who the hell cares? We are each beautiful in our own ways, and we do not need to fit society's idea of "pretty." I want you to know the person that constantly makes you feel bad about yourself does not define your worth. You do. You matter, and you DESERVE to take up some damn space on this Earth. So how do you remain body-positive when you are surrounded by so many judgemental people? Throw yourself a damn parade. By this I mean, picture yourself on a float, going down the street, in a parade all about you. You have people in the streets cheering you on, people pulling your float forward, and people on your float with you. For me, this means my family and closest friends. I know people like my sister Erica, and my big, Elise would be helping pull my float forward because they have always encouraged me and brought out the best in me. So where do the assholes fit in? I like to think they are on the sidelines, watching but not participating in your parade. They sit there, jealous of all the love and happiness you have in your life. I always come to the same realization: they do not matter nor do their shitty opinions. All that matters is the people who feel like sunshine; those that never make you question your worth. I encourage you to surround yourself with kind people and cast aside those who treat you as though you are lesser, to the sidelines. They do not deserve to be in your parade, and they do not have to be a part of your story. This is easier said than done, and I have many more parades to throw in the coming years. But I can say that surrounding yourself with wonderful people makes all the difference. They make you realize your worth and help you learn to love yourself. And YOU are so WORTHY of love. So go throw yourself a damn parade, you deserve it!