Dear High School Me,
I am here to talk to you about something that has bothered you for a while. It’s about your health, and your worries with it. Here you are, probably in the best shape of your life, and you’re anxiety goes through the roof every time you look in the mirror – which unfortunately is quite often due to dance. You think you’re not pretty enough, tall enough, thin enough…the list could go on. You’re deathly afraid of gaining weight, and you do what you can to control it all.
So, I’m here to tell you to stop. You’re going to gain weight, especially as you get to college and continue to grow. And that’s okay! Because guess what…you’re going to learn to love yourself. Of course there are going to be times where you wish something you liked fit better, or that you were a bit taller to pull off a certain look, but overall you’re going to learn that your body is wonderfully made and only you can take care of it.
You will realize you spent too many nights hating and hurting this beautiful body you have been blessed with. That you want to nourish it and exercise because it makes you feel good, and happy, not because you are obsessed with how you look. You’ll learn what you feel comfortable in and learn to accept that sorry – you have short parents so getting over 5’3 is not possible. Even when you feel insecure about an outfit, or wearing a bikini, you’ll have great friends to support you.
“Do you have a bikini?” one friend will say.
“Yes”, you’ll reply.
“And you have a body?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ve got a bikini body!”
It will take time and effort, but there is nothing more rewarding than loving yourself and this body you’ve been blessed with. It can do greater things than you ever thought imaginable, and it’ll be there for every cry of joy and every tear and it will carry you through life.
Now, telling you not to worry is not going to help your situation. But I just want to let you know that it does get better, and you will learn to love yourself flaws and all. You’ll better yourself in ways that are unimaginable, and you’ll be learning and growing all the time. It may not be happening right now, but you can find hope that it is possible to let go of your fears and hate, and to let love in. It’s the best look by far.
Lots of love,
College You