I'm going to be doing a positive body PSA video
I'm trying to find the right words to come across as positive. I'm not sure if I'm doing a good job. Any feedback would be appreciated!
My name is Mercades, and I have acne, cellulite, stretch marks, permanent scars and saggy parts. I feel sad when I try on clothes and they don't seem to fit because of my big arms or when I have to wear make-up to cover my scars and my blemishes. I don't usually show my midriff cos of my stretch marks. If I don't tweeze my eyebrows, they're a big bushy mess! I was teased and taunted in school about my weight, my appearance, my general nerdiness over and over again to the point where I was feeling down and depressed all the time. I felt so horrible because I thought there was something wrong me ME, that I couldn't change my weight or my appearance, basically, I couldn't please anyone who brought me down. I learned long after that it didn't matter what other shallow people thought of my appearance, it's what counted in my character that was more important. They could take my self-esteem for a while, but what they couldn't take from me was what makes me happy, my work ethic, my talents, my caring nature, and my eventual acceptance of who I am as a person, flaws and all. They can't take away the parts of me that I love, my heart, my love, and my passion for living life to it's fullest just as I am. I own every bit of the parts I don't like and DO like about me and I'm not ashamed.
Sure, I can change anything I don't like about my appearance, I can do anything I want to look as different as I want but if I'm still not happy, there's more to change than the skin deep. Self-esteem doesn't come in a bottle or a can, it comes from loving yourself. No one should feel badly for the way they look, just because other people don't accept they way you look. Learn to accept the things you love about yourself, see past what you or others may see as "flaws" or "imperfections" on the outside. Don't hate yourself, own what you have and let your true inner confidence and happiness as a person shine beyond whatever you're not happy with! Recently, the media has done a lot to instill body positive messages to women of all shapes and sizes, but there is still so much we can do for each other, woman to woman. Reach out to your fellow friends and if they're in doubt, let them know they're beautiful just the way they are, pass on the message of a positive body image and know we're all okay, just the way we are!