Read This If You Struggle With Feeling Beautiful (A Personal Story)

Growing up I was always told that I was beautiful. I am beautiful because I have long, tick hair. I am beautiful because I am tall and slim. I am beautiful because I have a clear complexion. This was how I took it, anyways. Compliments being linked to my "beauty". I didn't realize it at the time, but I hung to these compliments for dear life.

I am now 26 and I have had my share of hormonal issues. It's nothing serious but it did result in cystic acne and hair problems (hair loss and brittle hair). And naturally by body has changed too. I don't have weight put on, but I do have to put in an effort to keep it that way. And although my body has healed over the past year (I'll link an article I wrote about how I healed my acne), I still have a ways to go.

How did that make me feel? Losing what I thought made me beautiful affected me deeply. I would look at girls who had lots of hair or clear skin with bitterness and resentment. I hate to admit it but I would size them up to find something that made them unattractive. I usually didn't find anything and I was only left with guilt for criticizing someone else. This would only make me feel more unattractive.

Sometimes I would look in the mirror and call myself ugly. I was afraid to eat because I didn't want to gain weight. I wanted to get cosmetic surgery. That's insane! And not like me at all.

At the time, I didn't understand why I had such low self-esteem. But a healthy diet did more than heal my body. It healed my mind and spirit and a connection was made. I realized that I associated my beauty with how I looked externally. And that is utter nonsense. We are not beautiful because of certain traits we may have. We are beautiful because we are beautiful. That's it. Our beauty isn't conditional and there are no exceptions to that. We are simply beautiful. How easy is that.

So what can be learned from my experience? I'm not too sure myself. I believe we should continue to give compliments to people, especially children. But perhaps we should change what we compliment. In stead complimenting what's on the outside, why not tell them they are smart; they are funny; they kind; they are fantastic at guitar; they are passionate. And that's what makes them beautiful.

For those reading this, I want to remind you of something. You are not your size, a number on the scale or a blemish on your face. You are you and you are beautiful.

I think I'll leave it at that. I hope you find this blog beneficial in some way.

Sincerely,

Angie

Here is another article I wrote about how I cleared my skin
https://confessionsofanawakenedyouth.blogspot.ca/2017/04/if-youre-tired-of-treating-acne-with.html