While scrolling down my newsfeed, I came across a truly uplifting video posted by my friend Shreeya Tuladhar, who is currently a biology junior/senior student at Stony Brook University. I've always known Shreeya to be flamboyant since high school. It was only after I watched her video that I realized she had been battling with herself all along.

Many of us are walking in the same shoes that Shreeya wore while being traumatized by the unrealistic beauty standards that are set by our society. We are constantly criticized, bullied, teased and shamed because what media showcases are what we are brainwashed to believe in, causing us to cultivate extremely low self-esteem and endure all kinds of unnecessary suffering.

As someone who had been bullied in the past due to weight issues, I could relate to Shreeya as well as many young men and women out there who are greatly pressurized to look and act a certain way. The kind of message that Shreeya sends across to all of us is empowering because consciously or subconsciously, we are all going through the same inner turmoil as we desperately seek for refuge.

My inquisitiveness about Shreeya's inspiring mission led me to inquire to her about "Project BEaUtifull," her very creation that reached out to many insecure hearts and transformed many lives, including mine. After an hour long conversation with her, I set out to write about my beautiful friend, her beautiful story and her beautiful project. Watch her video below!

"After 10 years of constantly trying to please everyone in society, I realized it was time to just please myself," said the 20-year-old President of The Himalayan Club at SBU. She has had her own personal account of being bullied after she settled for a new life with her family in the U.S. as a young nine-year-old Nepalese immigrant. She had since been struggling with body issues and at one point, even considered going for counseling. She drew the final straw on her 19th birthday, when she decided to change her life around and strive towards being herself while accepting that that "self" was someone who is truly beautiful.

Shreeya's professors, impressed by her story along with her writing skills, initially encouraged her to create a project to help spread awareness to people who are suffering from their own insecurities. Shreeya is described by her friends as someone who is extremely helpful, which is why she continues to do exactly that through her project.

Project BEaUtifull would later emerge as a growing non-profit organization that raises awareness about body image issues, while teaching people to love themselves and lead healthy lifestyles. Read more about her organization here. "It is a supportive community for people of all ages and identities to understand that everyone is beautiful; being beautiful means being you."

“If people can make me feel ugly, I can make people feel beautiful,” Shreeya went further to actually make everyone feel beautiful as she asked her friends, teachers, mentors and therapist to send a picture of themselves confessing their own insecurities. Eventually, many strangers also began sharing their stories thanks to the "Project BEaUtifull." As you will see in her video, she and her team hand out small pieces of folded paper inscribed with, "You Are BEaUtifull" to random strangers who radiate happiness with a smile across their faces as soon as they unfold and read it. Happiness is truly achieved when you make other people happy.

Shreeya also reached out to Evana Manandhar, Miss Nepal World 2015, with this positive initiative. Evana and her organization were more than willing to take part in this project because it speaks volumes not only to our American culture, but also cultures across the world.

Her team members (Left to right: Suson Maharjan, Kasmika Maharjan, Tasfia Bushra, Shreeya Tuladhar, Shimul Biswas, Aaron Zalki, Kevin Zeng) are the backbone to the success of the project as they voluntarily joined in to help Shreeya in her mission. The three boys (Suson, Aaron and Kevin) are in charge of photography/videography, Kasmika is the PR of the project, Tasfia is the writer and Shimul is the webmaster. Aaron Zalki is also the manager of the project.

I was also able to get a few words from the awesome team family members (for Shreeya) having struggled themselves in a world where beauty standards are set too high; together they raised an initiative to help make change.

Aaron: "My main goal for the future of this project is that it spreads on a large scale and that it creates a society where people are more accepting of their self-images."

Kevin: "Interacting with strangers in the heart of NYC, their reaction to 'You are BEaUtifull,' is invaluable and heart warming."

Suson: "I want to help change the minds of those who view themselves negatively because I firmly believe that everyone has the potential to be anything and the most important thing is that everyone truly is BEaUtiFull!"

Kasmika: "I became a part of "Project BEaUtifull" because I want to help change lives around the world, spread positive self-image and redefine society's standard of beauty."

It is indeed a difficult process for people to find self-acceptance in a world where it seems only perfection has a place. However, "Project BEaUtifull" comes up with little ways to make people smile and guide youths to bail themselves from the invisible prison bars set up as a result of small insecurities like, being a little chubby, inheriting different skin tones, possessing different body shapes and sizes, etc. "Project BEaUtifull" continues to spread love and awareness about loving oneself and finding self-beauty.

"You're so fat!", "You're too skinny!", "Weirdo..", "UGLY!", "Shorty!", "Creep.", "Big nose!", "Gay!", "You're wearing too much makeup", "FAKE", "No one will ever want you", "You are an insult" "Good for nothing!" This is where it ends. And this is where the beautiful you begins. Your value doesn't decrease just because someone is incapable of seeing your worth.

"You have to love yourself because no amount of love from others is sufficient to fill the yearning that your soul requires from you." - Dodinsky