Demi has been one of the most influential people in my life since I was eleven years old. I loved watching her shows, movies, and listening to her music growing up. It was not until I got to college that her story resonated with me more than ever.
College is a time that everyone changes, goes through new experiences, and learns who they are. Demi’s life was unlike anything I will ever experience, but the issues that she dealt with were real and are more prevalent than our society may think. Body image and struggling with self-love are things that everyone deals with on one level or another. It is unrealistic to think that in college, you will not gain weight and be the same size that you were in high school. Despite the fact that it is an unrealistic idea, it is something that I did not think would happen to me. I know that I am by no means overweight, but I struggle with comparing myself to others so much more than I ever did in high school.
I mostly struggle with comparing myself to my sisters and my mom when she was my age. It seems like my sister who is three years older than me can eat anything she wants and is still able to fit into her size two prom dress from when she was seventeen. Just recently, I was talking to my mom about her wedding and when she brought up the dress, she mentioned that it was her mom’s dress and when she got married at 23 she was 110 pounds. I never even thought about wearing my mom’s wedding dress at my future wedding, but knowing that I probably would not even have the chance really struck me in a way that I never expected.
Demi Lovato is my idol because she is so real and confident. Her story that she shares in her documentary, “Simply Complicated”, shows that she is not perfect and still struggles with her eating disorder to this day. She proved to me that you can still love your body, even if you have stretch marks and no “thigh gap”. It is important to still treat your body with respect no matter where you are in your journey. I know that my body is not necessarily where I would like it to be, but if I believe in myself then I can be the best version of myself and embrace my body for what it is.
If you even have the slightest interest in watching Demi’s documentary, please do it. It is on YouTube and free for everyone. She is living proof that you have the power to get over any struggle you may be facing. If you do not have time to watch the video, at least listen to the song, “Warrior.” It is one of the most inspirational songs I have ever heard and heard it live is an experience that I will never forget because she is so raw and strong when she performs it. She uses her platform to educate her fan base about self-love and having a healthy body-image, which is something that I do not think is very common in today’s society and is very important to me. If I am ever feeling bad about myself, I play “Warrior” and look at her social media because it gives me the confidence to carry on.