"For years of my life, my confidence was based on what I looked like or how much attention I was getting from boys. I learned the hard way that no matter how much you change your appearance, confidence really does come from within. I struggled with my eating for about three years and suffered from anorexia and depression. It's weird because I'm not naturally skinny (which is fine) so looking at me, you wouldn't have thought that I had anorexia. But my mind was destroying itself and I was fighting a war in my head every single day. I had to go to a private counselor and nutritionist because I was refused help from the government because my BMI wasn't low enough... even though I was underweight. Luckily, I have such an amazing and supportive family that with their help, I was able to drag myself out of the mud and make an almost full recovery. I still place a lot of my worth on what I eat (sigh) but I don't weigh myself or count calories anymore and I can eat without having a panic attack. So that's a successful recovery.
Nowadays, my confidence is not related to what I look like on the outside. Obviously it helps when your feeling down to do your hair and wear a good outfit, but I think that's more of a false sense of confidence and kind of a fake it 'til you make it attitude. I try really hard to find my confidence from things other than my appearance, because I have to be careful that I don't slip back into an eating disorder again. My relationships with others make me feel confident and I try to surround myself with non-toxic people who do nothing but build me up and support me. The way I speak to myself makes me feel confident - I consciously speak to myself in a caring and positive way. Exercise makes me feel confident - whether it's lifting little weights, going for a long walk or getting an hour of yoga in, I always feel better and more confident after moving my body and getting my heart pumping. Music makes me feel confident. Traveling and meeting new people makes me feel confident. " -Katy England, UK |