I recently watched a video posted by tattooed beauty blogger/YouTuber Katrin Berndt that got me thinking about my freedom of expression and how people in the modern world tend to perceive that.

The video was entitled "Changing My Appearance Doesn't Mean I Hate Myself" -- in which Berndt talks about the mainstream view of heavily modified and altered individuals. Being in the constant spotlight that she is, she finds herself being ridiculed and judged for her modified choices. She expresses that maybe her definition of "natural beauty" and other's definition may be different -- and that's okay.

"No one deserves any kind of shit thrown at them for altering their appearance."

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I wholeheartedly and completely agree with Berndt's view on this issue -- because I am also visibly modified. But, even if I wasn't, I am a huge advocate for freedom of expression and feeling comfortable in the skin you're in.

Though I'm not as modified as Berndt, living with colored hair, heavy makeup, tattoos and piercings -- it's not an easy as people would think it is. Yes, as modified individuals, we live our lives seemingly normally. Just doing things day to day. But it's the side glances, whispered comments, people not letting their children talk to you and even rude words from people who you thought respected you.

On the topic of natural beauty, it seems like some people believe that "natural" is what you're born with. Yes, by definition, that would make sense. But, I believe that natural beauty depends on who is defining it. It's always said that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." And with this situation, I think this especially rings true. If I am modifying my body, I believe that what I was born with was not quite who I am supposed to be. As I add more tattoos, piercings and hair colors -- I'm getting closer to what I personally deem "natural beauty". What I naturally feel most comfortable and most beautiful in.

I'm changing my body to what naturally feels right to me. And that doesn't mean I hated what I was before. And it doesn't mean that I'm still not comfortable with who I am yet. I love myself. And because I love myself, I work every day to become who I feel I should naturally be.

A work in progress.