Growing up, my parents always told me that I was unique. I was different and had something to offer the world that no one else could. I grew up in a loving home and always knew that I was important. I was seen for being myself and not for how I looked. As I grew older many things changed. I grew up and into my body. I was no longer a child but instead a young woman. Everything was different.

While in high school I knew that I was seen for more than just my personality. I was curvy and those dang boys noticed too. It started out as just stares. I knew that they would look at but me but I took it as a compliment.

It only progressed from there. I was excited about the attention that I received because it was a new experience. I wanted the attention. It made me feel wanted and liked. However, it quickly changed. The stares turned into comments. "You are sexy" or "your curves are amazing." Once, a boy tried to touch me while in class. I knew that they only saw me for my body. I was humiliated and quickly changed my views on my own body.

I hated how I looked. Men of all sorts would look at me and I wanted to change how they interacted with me. I was no longer thinking about how people saw me for who I was. In my mind people only saw me for the way my body looked.

The comments were not the only discouraging factor; fitting into clothes was horrendous. Every time I would shop for bathing suits I would end up in tears because nothing would fit. I had to be careful with what I wore being sure that I would not show too much or make it seem as if I was someone I was not. I often wondered why I couldn't be normal.

Disappointed and upset I sat in my room often wondering what I could do to change my body. I was unhappy and discouraged knowing that I could not do anything. I was stuck with the comments from boys and girls, young and old. Society even recognized me for being different than everyone else.

I thought that I was only seen for my body. My body image was poor at best. I covered up the most that I could. I had forgotten about the fact that others saw me for who I was. I saw myself as a girl that everyone looked at. One day, crying about how I looked, I decided to change.

I realized that I was unique for things other than my body. I am smart, kind, and love to make others happy. I was so distracted by what others thought of me that I had forgotten the most important lesson my parents had taught me. They taught me to be myself and love myself for being different than everyone else.

So many others struggle with this issue in their lives. I know that I am not the only one. Society recognizes others for looking different. They scrutinize so many individuals just because they are not like the ideal human. The struggles of body image are so prevalent in our society but it does not mean that you cannot love yourself for who you are.

Realizing I wanted to change helped me understand my life. I learned how to be accepting and shrug off others who were not. I learned how to ignore comments about my body and strengthened my views on myself. No one can change who I am.

Mary Lambert, a Grammy nominated artist, once stated, "You can't love your body for what you hope it turns into without loving it actively for what it is today." So cherish your body. Love it for the differences. Love your weaknesses and your strengths. Do not let others opinions change how you view yourself. You are more than your body. You are the uniqueness that your body holds. #HereIam

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