Loving Yourself Without Losing Yourself

 When I needed to change my look a few weeks back, I was advised to do it in the right way, rather than forcing myself into becoming what I want to be. My sister recommended a method to me: eating only fruits for a week to reduce my belly fat and look better. I believe this is okay as long as one wants to change their unhealthy lifestyle and come back to shape, but not to the extent of depriving oneself of certain things, all because you want to achieve a goal. There are people who, just because they don't feel good about their shape, go to the extreme and even go beyond the normal plan they are recommended with and in the end become worse than they look. We are all wonderfully made for a purpose. If one is slim, it's because God intends it that way. If one is fat, there is also a purpose. The same for someone short or tall, even a dwarf. There were times in the past few years when I felt ashamed of myself, both look and shape, and I was scared to go out unless someone followed me. I felt insecure because of my short stature, and when I see tall or average people, I wish to be like them. I was always unhappy, but it changed one day when something happened. I was in school that day when I saw a lady who was shorter than I am. She wasn't a dwarf, but I was taller than her by a few inches. She looked so happy that day, people stopped to watch her go about, feeling excited around her friends. I saw myself as an ingrate that day. I stopped feeling insecure anymore but to learn to appreciate my body and shape. It even got worse when I passed by and people called me different names, from shortie, portable and the like, which would make me feel sad, but now, I smile and walk by them without letting society's judgment take its place in my life. Our looks shouldn't be a problem to us at all, but due to a lack of satisfaction and not being content, it is what makes people go for all kinds of surgeries to look different from who they are. Some change their sex, some their buttocks, others their eyes, nose, and even their faces completely. They do not show appreciation for their creator but want to alter their images completely. They go through a series of problems later in life. The only time body positivity becomes toxic is due to an unhealthy lifestyle, and one should be careful to follow through the required conditions and not go beyond. Take, for instance, an individual who is obese would want to engage in exercises, not rigorous ones, but taking them one step daily and with consistency. One does not have to stop eating certain meals that are needed, but in the right proportion and moderation. It's important we embrace who we are and not let people determine our looks. It's normal to see different people complain about others of their looks, shapes, and whatever, but as long as they can’t do anything about it or become like the creator make us win over them and once we've allowed their opinions to change who we are, they have won over us, and that can be a problem later. Take, for instance, a man who prefers a slim woman, and because you are not, tends to alter who you are just to please him, would later wake up one day and tell you to change how you look. There will always be a problem when we please others other than ourselves or even God. Rather, let's learn to appreciate ourselves for who we are. If we want to make some adjustments, it should only be because we are trying to change our unhealthy lifestyle into the best through personal development. --- _{*Image Source: Chatgpt*}