When I was your age..

When I was your age…

Ever heard that before? I feel like I heard it more than a dozen times in my own youth.

Here, I will definitely be referencing the old cliche!

When I was your age, life seemed to be all about how many extra activities we were involved in, how many friends we had (imagine a Facebook free world), how many new outfits we wore, who liked whom, whether or not we made the cast of a school production, and how good our grades were. And last but not least, size. For me and a large portion of students, the size of clothing worn could make or break your pop pop popularity. 

I loathed my calves. I had moles. Pale skin was no stranger to me, and my hair always seemed to have a mind of its own. My weight, you ask? Although I was not excessively overweight, I sure wasn't what anyone would call, “Skinny.”

My world now looks so much brighter. There are so many beautiful truths about my identity and worth I have learned since then.

Here are a few: I don't mind my large calves, especially when I have good muscle definition. Many people have moles or freckles. Pale skin can be a good thing, so cover up! On many occasions, people have complimented me on the color of my hair, and most recently, a hair dresser told me I had perfect “pageant hair.” The scales, while they are still higher than they should be, I am at peace with the fact that my body has helped create and birth 5 beautiful babies in 7 ½ years time, and that is truly miraculous. 

A large contingency to my overall attitude of happy includes my discovery of taking time for me and my body.

Making great effort to eat lots of vegetables/ fruits and avoid extra sugar; and to exercise at least 30 minutes multiple times each week has boosted my physical self esteem, but gives me a mental boost and clarity that I don't receive elsewhere. 

I remind myself to drink water and be understanding and patient with my progress. Nobody has been in the exact same shoes as me, and it also takes time to get there.

Stay with the fight to enjoy being healthy and young. It will pay off in ways you could.not imagine!

-Holli Sharp