I Love You, Man

From someone very special to me, Tyler. I hope his words inspire you as they have inspired me:

Inspiration doesn’t usually come from the words spoken on a paper document. It comes from the heart; the belief that if you jump through fire you’re going to burned; and realize that you can be okay with that. It’s the steps you take to actually reach that ultimate goal you’ve been trying to reach since the early days of your life.

The strength a little kid is completely naïve to is comparable to the absolute need to accomplish by adults every day. A mental to do list that you carry around with you from the time you were 7 years old is as accessible as you’ve always thought it was. So you want to be an astronaut, but you say; I was 10 years old and stupid, I could never become an astronaut. That’s where you’ve gone off track.

To be inspired is to reach your own capabilities; and you’re capable of anything you’ve been inspired to do. Don’t confuse my words with aspiration, because that’s not what I’m talking about. If you want to be a singer, but can’t sing; who says you can’t be a singer? You don’t need to make it a profession. Scream at the top of your lungs in the car and love yourself for the worth of the words being thrown from your mouth and to that empty car.

Quoting Degrassi, ‘Life is a show, in every shade of the rainbow.’ Prove it to yourself that that’s true, it can be if you want it to be. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone else; as much as society pushes you to, do it for yourself.

Inactiveness is a true fault. You’ve got one life to live, so live it hard. Challenges are butterflies and obstacles are birds. Look at them as beautiful, not as a hindrance to your life. Everything that knocks you down should make you strong. If it’s weight that you’re trying to lose, you need to be happy with yourself before you try to lose that weight. If you’re happy with the way you look; trying to lose some of the weight you’ve gained is going to make you feel so much better. You’re enduring two positives at the same time. Those positives are going to give you a natural adrenaline and hormonal high that you’ll be able to look at yourself in the mirror and smile wide. Though, I didn’t write the book on weight loss, I do know that no matter how much you weigh, losing weight is the hardest damn thing you’ll ever endeavor into. Don’t let that get you down though. There are so many times when I wish that I could just get it all
sucked out. I tripped over so many things, not literally, on my way to the best years of my life. In no way am I saying you have to be skinny to be happy; I’m saying if you’re trying to lose those few extra pounds, then do it smart. Eating disorders are not something you want to deal with either.

Being happy with yourself is something that all of us wish we could accomplish. Are we ever happy though? I want a show of hands for the people who can say they’re honestly happy with the way things are going in their lives. Half of you might have your hands raised; how about the other half.

Confidence resides in your mind. A trick that I learned on the way to becoming much more confident with myself was this;

• Take a shower.
• Do your hair.
• Drink a really big glass of ice water.
• Sit outside.
• Breathe.
• Go look in the mirror.
• Smile.

I’m not guaranteeing these results, just a mere scientific discovery on my own. It’s not for everyone. If you do try this, let me know how you feel. I’ll put my email address at the end of this for comments or concerns. I just want to know how this made you feel. I’m not done yet, agony; I know.

An increase of the need to conform is bringing people down. I’ve heard people tell me that they weren’t accepted or even noticed in their high schools until they were walking the halls in designer brand clothes. I think the designer brands look alright, but what’s the point of buying Wal-Mart type clothing with a name slapped on it for $200 more than you can get at the off brand clothing store down the street.

Maybe you think you’re not worth the designer brand stuff, but believe me. No one truly is. Designer clothes are nothing compared to having self-satisfaction, believe me. I found that out the hard way. I walked into my middle school the first day decked out in my cousins old shirt that was 234324235 sizes too big for me and jeans that a belt couldn’t even hold up. I felt so out of place in my own school because I didn’t look ‘good’ like everyone else. I’m not a fan. I figured out quickly that I needed to change, I needed to be different. It wasn’t true though. The more and more I changed, the more I hated myself for not being who I was.

You know what, by the end of that school year, I came back to school in the same thing I wore on the first day and strutted it around that school. I got so many awkward stares. I felt good about it though.

I’m most likely boring you guys to death with my digressions and stories, but I needed to get this out. Maybe it might help someone who wants to reach out to someone; make them realize they might need that one extra person to talk to.

As I said I would do, I’m going to put my email address here, and hopefully all of you will take advantage of this and email me as soon as possible. I’m always checking my emails and I’ll reply to you quickly. Just if you might need someone to talk to or make comments on anything I’ve said. Thanks for your time.


Email; papioperson99@yahoo.com


Remember to keep sending in your photos and reflections to loveyoubeautiful@gmail.com and to follow us on twitter @loveubeautiful. It would really mean a lot to me to get more followers! Tell all your friends, for after all you are all worth it <3 <3 <3

You Are Beautiful :)

From Jess:

When I was in the third grade my family moved me into a high end elementary school. All of the people around me were stick thin and dressed in the best. I didn't. My family barely had the money to buy me clothes from Wal-Mart, none of that mattered to me before. But, when people point you out at school and laugh because your jeans weren't from American Eagle or I wasn't wearing Abercrombie. You quickly lose all of your self-esteem. I went from being happy and carefree to sad and spent my time with my nose in a book. I remember my dad working overtime one summer just so I could wear the best clothes. I remember thinking that would change things. It didn't, in fact it made it worse. I quit attempting to make friends and found myself hating life.

My prayers were answered when my family decided to move the summer before my eighth grade year. This time we moved to a middle class area where people didn't care as much what you wore or what you looked like. I found myself surrounded by friend who liked me. Not because I was decked out in name brand clothes or stick thin, but because I was me. I went from being the saddest girl ever to the happiest.

So whenever I am feeling unbeautiful or unloved I think back to how I felt when I was there. Nothing feels as bad as that does.

Whenever you are feeling unbeautiful or unloved remember YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND LOVED BY SO MANY.

Remember to keep sending in your photos and reflections! The next update is something special from someone with an amazing voice, I can't wait to share it with you! Send your thoughts, contributions, WHATEVER to loveyoubeautiful@gmail.com and follow us on twitter @loveubeautiful! <3 <3 <3


Thank you Martha for the picture<3

You're All Amazing <3

From Emma:

Just wanted to say that your blog is quite amazing.
Every little thing about it is inspiring and its something
that all women and girls should read, because we should
all be able to feel beautiful.

Only lately have I felt as beautiful as I do now.
It never used to be this way though, there were
times when I didn't even want to go out because
I felt like people wouldn't talk to me, because
I wasn't beautiful. But now, I tell myself
every day that I am beautiful, outside and
definitely on the inside.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
Helen Keller


So, Smile. Life is beautiful, and so are you.

Thank you for making this blog.

Come Together

I do not have a broken home. My school work always came naturally to me. I had a loving mother, a doting father and a little brother to die for. I was spoiled but I understood the meaning of hard work. On paper I had the formula for the perfect life, the dream.

I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 12. I can't tell you how or why I felt that way, I can sit here and blame others for my misfortune but really it all came down to me. How could I expect anyone else to respect and love me if I didn't even have respect and love for myself? I always figured myself a tortured soul, a bleeding artist with a mission. I constantly put myself down, I would never be smart enough or pretty enough. I wasn't worth anyones time.

Eight years later I still battle with depression and still see a therapist on a regular basis. It's something I have to live with everyday but I've learned how to cope and become stronger because of it.

I don't have all the answers and possibly may never have them but what I have realized is this: We are ALL worth it. We all have beauty that lies within us and quite frankly anyone that doesn't see our beauty isn't worth our time. It begins with us, with ourselves. You are the most important thing in your life and believe me, you are all a gift <3

Keep sending in your photos and reflections to loveyoubeautiful@gmail.com. When you send in your reflections please let us know if you'd like us to post them with your name or if you'd like to stay anonymous.

You are all so beautiful <3

Thank you Mariana for the photo!

Stay Beautiful

This was sent in by someone who wishes to remain anonymous.

"I had always been really active when I was younger, but around the age of 8, I started gaining weight. That’s when my mother put me on a diet, but no matter how many sports I played or how many low carb meals I ate, I was still gaining weight. I was confused why I was even on a diet, I felt like every other girl my age and I didn’t even notice I was bigger until around 7^th grade. When I realized that I was much bigger than the other girls, it hit me really hard. I became very depressed, and my mother put the idea in my head that I would be so much happier if I was skinny, that I could only be beautiful if I was skinny.

So, I agreed to try to lose weight and was put on every diet you could think of until I graduated high school. My mom was constantly looking up new info and diets that could make me drop the weight. One worked, briefly, but I gained it back a few months later. I had started college and I was feeling a little more confident, because I got a fresh start. Unfortunately, I had to move back home after my first year, and that’s when the weight became an issue again. It was hard to make friends. All I could think about was how everyone must be thinking how disgusting I looked because I was so fat. I became obsessed with my weight. I would wake up in the morning and only look in the mirror to put on make up. I would have to force food down my throat because I was nauseated with myself. I started to eat less. I’d challenge myself to only eating a few things a day. A couple of pretzels as a snack, and to show my parents that I was eating, I’d have a salad for dinner.

There were days when I was invited to go out with my friends, and I’d have to cancel at the last minute because I convinced myself that none of the clothes in my closet made me attractive enough. It was hard. It’s still hard. I battle with my looks everyday. The initial emotion I feel when I look in the mirror is disgust, but I’m trying so hard to alter that view. People tell me all the time how beautiful I am, and I’m finally starting to realize that I don’t have to be skinny to be beautiful; I just have to be myself."

Remember to send in your own pictures and reflections to loveyoubeautiful@gmail.com. It all starts with you! <333

Tweet!

We now have a Twitter account! Follow us @loveubeautiful for updates on the blog and much more! You can also see how latest twitters on the sidebar of this blog! It's only been little over a week and already the participation and support I have seen is amazing!

We can all help eradicate poor self-image. Remember to keep sending in your photos and own reflections to loveyoubeautiful@gmail.com :)

<333

1997

That was the first year I started a diet. It consisted of grapefruit and water and sometimes a handful of fruit snacks and it only lasted a week but it certainly wasn't the last. I was 8 and had just started third grade. I would put into my head that these weird eating habits I was developing would help me be as thin as the models and actresses I saw on television. I wasn't the only one doing it either, I had a group of friends that also were on this diet. We all wanted to make sure we would be in our tiny bodies forever. I soon became the odd one out, an early bloomer. I got teased and ridiculed by some of my best friends because I had a body they had never even thought of developing someday. I was so angry with my body that I would lay in bed and just poke at my new hips, cry over the new muscles that were growing fast and that there was nothing I could do about it.I was only 8 years old. I wish someone would've told me then how beautiful I was.

You are all so beautiful and amazing. Keep sending in your pictures to loveyoubeautiful@gmail.com. I love them so much and can't wait to share them with the rest of the world.