Many of you may be aware that I'm working on a book/project for middle school and junior high girls. My high school daughter and I came up with the idea over summer when we decided to rally in support of the youngest in our family who would be entering middle school. We've become Rylie's cheerleading squad.  We've enjoyed encouraging her so much that we decided we want to broaden the "group hug/kumbayah campfire/team huddle". 

The book we've fondly titled "The Village Girl Handbook"  will contain submissions from middle school/junior high "survivors". 

My daughter Hallie has agreed to share an entry she has written for the book on body image. 

The other day I was cleaning my room when I came across an old photograph underneath my bed. I was standing on the beach with my grandpa wearing some baggy jeans and a half smile.

It was taken only three years ago but I could barely recognize myself. The awkward position and frizzy hair I knew all too well, but it was my malnourished body that frightened me.

I don't remember much from middle school. I don't remember much about what I learned or what I got for most Christmases, but I remember my small 89 pound body was never quite small enough. I suffered an eating disorder and major body image issues.

I remember many days where the only thing to reach my lips was a stick of gum and days where I would spend a long time staring at the scale hoping it would change.

Now a few years forward and with a new mindset and perspective, I can see no matter what weight I was I wouldn't have been happy, because the problem was not my body it was my mind.

I thought that skinny=beautiful and although I was skinny, it was never enough. I became obsessed with myself and how I looked and came to hate the person I was.

Now, though it's been only a few years, I am in love with my 30 pound heavier, healthy body and the person I have blossomed into. Once I focused on inner beauty, and all the beauty in the world around me I could finally see myself as beautiful. 

I finally realized I was always beautiful and no matter what size I was I would still be beautiful. The only thing ugly about me was my insecurity.

You are beautiful.

No matter what you look like, you are a one of a kind masterpiece who needs nobody's consent to feel beautiful. Your body is a temple, an advance machine and so much more.

Love yourself, you deserve it.

-Hallie 🙂