My entire life I have always been bigger. Not fat or obese, just... bigger. I've been bigger than all of my other friends. I think the first time I ever noticed it was fifth grade. We did a project comparing your weights on Earth vs other planets; all my other friends were around 95-97 pounds, and I was about 103. In middle school when my friends were a 00, I was a size 2. When my friends became size 2's, I became a size 4. When my friends became size 4's, I was a size 6, and so on and so on.

Currently, I'm a size 10 and I wear a size large (I can just feel some people want to punch me in the face right now for complaining about being a size 10).

Ever since I was younger there has always been this thought is the back of my mind like "oh, hey maybe I should go a on diet or exercise more so I can lose weight." Now, this little idea has never gotten toxic; I've never starved myself or worked out until I passed out. Honestly, I usually just ignored the voice and didn't eat better or work out more.

Recently, in our society, I have noticed a growing trend of putting such an emphasis on people's weight. Just go look through the comments section of celebrity Instagram accounts (mostly stars like Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and any member of the Kardashian and Jenner clan). You can see dozens of comments like "you're so fat!" "wow, you got fat!" "fat cow!" Or, even just go look at gossip sites they make articles talking about how celebrities have gained weight as if it's this huge thing that is show stopping or completely world crumbling apart and ending kind of drama.

So I guess the question is... why is society putting such a stressor on the number on the scale?

What about if I have a great personality? What if I know the cure for cancer? What if I am the future President of the United States? What if I can tell a good joke? What if I am crazy smart with technology? What if I can cook like it's nobody's business? But yet... all you want to focus on is the size of the shirt I'm wearing or however many inches are around my waist?

No. That is not okay. And I am not going to allow it anymore.

I am so tired of people focusing on my weight instead of focusing on me, as a person - the person under this skin. Because, well, if I do say so myself - that person is pretty great.

I am not the size of shirt I wear. I am not the size dress I wear. I am not the number on the scale. I am not the extra flub that hangs over my buttoned up jeans. I am not my fat and neither are you.

Whether you're a size XS or 5XL, or anything else - you are beautiful, you are more than your size, and you are loved.