"It's kind of a boy's haircut don't you think?" "Whoa, that's a change… Don't worry it'll grow out" "Are you gay?". At first, these comments bothered me because I believed them too. After all, they were just confirming what I already believed about myself: that I was awkward and ugly.
Then, I made a different kind of friend, a friend who loved me absolutely. Her name was Tee, she was spunky and brave in so many ways. What I love the most about Tee is that she has this way of seeing into others, and herself, and seeing more. It's hard to describe, but she would look at any stranger on the street and just admire how lovely they were, and these were ordinary people whom she had never met before.
In a way, her confidence in herself was contagious. And the more I hung out with her, the more I wanted to be like her.
And that's how I got to where I am today. I fell in love with my short hair. In fact, I decided that I didn't want to ever go back to long hair. And I found myself loving not just my hair but all of me. I love every inch of me. My shoulders are still broad, but they are beautiful and strong. My hips and chest are still an hourglass, but now I can view my body as it is, beautiful and mine. I love my hazel eyes, I love my fair skin. Standing where I am now, I don't know why I was hiding in the first place.
To all those struggling with their body image: the trick is not to search for perfection on the surface. The more you focus on what you don't like about yourself, the more it will drown and consume you. Change your way of thinking by looking for the best in yourself and others. Stop comparing your body type to others, and stop worrying about how others view you. Just love you for you, and love others for who they are.
Who Are You?
©JessicaAsh