Society today has turned this world into a place where people cannot feel happy in their own skin if they don't look a certain way, for both men and women. You see famous male actors, athletes, and models and they're equipped with tan skin, tall legs, and a toned body. The females follow with beautiful bodies: plump breasts, toned butt, and long, tanned legs. This is what our society idolizes as what everyone should look like.

But why?

There shouldn't be any labels on what you should or shouldn't look like. You should look like whatever you want to look like. We are all pink on the inside, so why judge people based on what they look like on the outside?

People need to start turning against the tide of society and growing to love everyone, regardless of their weight, height, skin color, or anything other than what kind of a person they are. When people tear others down based on their physical appearance, it tears them down to someone they aren't. I have learned this first hand.

I have had my fair share of degrading looks or comments, from family, friends and strangers. I am no small woman, I have no shame admitting this. I weigh over 200 pounds, but I have never let it limit me. I am active and living a normal life. I am healthy, I am loved by those around me and most of all: by me.

I have worked very hard to love myself the way I am and not pay attention to what everyone else thinks I should be. It is a very hard process to overcome because all the odds are against you. The world wants to tear you down, always, when you aren't the woman (or man) that society expects you to be. Even for the women/men that fit the criteria of what it takes to be beautiful now-a-days, they could still not be happy with themselves.

One of my friends, let's call her Stacy, is tall, athletic, has a beautiful body, hair, skin. Meets all of the bullets on society's list of beauty necessities. Stacy still hates her body because she thinks her chest isn't big enough or she isn't pretty enough.

Body hating isn't subjected just to heavier women or men. It goes for everyone and you can take our superficial focused society for that.

For us to make a change, we need to focus more on making people happier about themselves and encouraging a positive mindset instead of encouraging change in someone. When you walk past someone, compliment them. Whether it is their hair, eyes, shirt, anything. Make someone feel happy instead of judging them on the inside. As a people, we have to come together and start loving and respecting everyone. Eventually, maybe, the hate can be removed from something as ridiculous as what someone looks like on the outside.

For me, I have no interest in losing weight. I am healthy and happy. If I lose weight, that's fine too. But I am not going to go and change myself because this world wants me to be a certain way, or because anyone else wants me to be a certain build. Beauty is much deeper than what is shown on the outside. I feel beautiful and everyone should as well.