My Uncle didn't let me have an ice cream cone with the rest of my cousins because I didn't look like I needed anything more to eat.
I was 6 years old when my peers scooted five feet away from me during reading time because they were afraid I would squish them.
I was 7 years old when I fell off my bike and the neighborhood kids laughed saying, 'it's because you're too fat!'
I was 8 years old when my brother hid all my Halloween candy because I was getting bigger and bigger already, and I didn't need any more candy to stuff inside my body.
I was 9 years old when my crush told me I was too fat and so he asked my best friend to be his Valentine instead.
I was 10 years old when my gym teacher told me I was overweight and I needed to lose some pounds in order to get into the healthy fitness zone.
I was 11 years old when my aunt said I couldn't run around her house anymore because I was getting too heavy and she didn't want the furniture shaking.
I was 12 years old when a group of girls wouldn't let me sit at their lunch table because I would mistake them as my meal.
I was 13 years old when a magician at Six Flags under guesstimated my weight, then made me step on the scale in front of a huge crowd to prove that I weighed much more than what everyone thought.
I was 14 years old when I really liked a guy and he said I'd look cute if only I lost a few pounds.
I was 15 years old when I was told to move on to Debs because Abercrombie didn't sell my size clothes.
I was 16 years old when my parents told me I wouldn't be able to find a man to love me with the body I have.

For 16 years I was suffocated from compliments, body positivity, and the freedom to accept myself despite my stretch marks, my cellulite, my stomach rolls, my double chin, my love handles, and MY BODY.
I was 17 years old when I decided to embrace myself on the inside and the outside.
I was 17 years old when I decided that I can be both, fat AND beautiful.
I was 17 years old when I could finally look in the mirror and not turn away because the image I saw staring back at me was no longer not good enough, but MORE than enough.
When I was 17 years old, I learned to spread body positivity to all those who needed to hear that they were beautiful too, even with their perfectly imperfect flaws.

So it's okay to love yourself.
There is no need to be afraid anymore.