I haven’t been able to look at myself in the mirror and think “Wow, you are beautiful.”
It seems that everyone has an awkward stage, where they’re growing into their body and what not, it just seemed that mine just so happened to be from about 3rd grade to sophomore year in high school.
People have told me for years how pretty and beautiful I am, but for some reason it didn’t sink in. When I watched this video, I could relate times 12091361236.
Now, I haven’t had someone sketch me and then had someone I met describe me, but I think in the last 5 months I’ve had more people genuinely affirm me of my beauty than in my entire life. Not just my physical beauty, but what they can see inside my heart.
And I think it’s starting to slowly sink in about how right they are. This isn’t to get conceited about my looks, but to actually UNDERSTAND what everyone has seen for so long. It’s difficult in the world we live in, to look at yourself and be happy about what you see. Though, the people in the media are just as much of a person as I am, it’s hard not to compare and wish you were a size 0. The truth is that I’m not. I never will be, thanks to genetics–but I’m okay with that.
I can work out to be fitter–despite my heart condition and I can buy all the expensive clothes–despite my lack of overflowing funds and still be ugly.
Maybe it’s cliche, but I think when people have told me that I’m beautiful, it’s not because of what I look like, necessarily, on the outside.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe when I open up my heart and can be vulnerable to those around me, they see something totally different. They can see a radiance around me that shines so bright, people can’t help but to stop and stare. They see bright, brown eyes that beckon a deep connection. They see a huge warm smile that you can’t help but to smile back. This, my friends, is beauty.
I want to thank the people who haven’t given up hope and have continued to tell me these things because now I’m starting to see what they’ve seen all along.
My name is Lauren and I am more beautiful than I used to think I was.
Lauren Brooks 
Lauren you always have been and always will be beautiful. And your inside beauty will only match your outside beauty when we get to heaven and you are shining so bright that you are a glow. You are gorgeous and stunning on the outside but there is far more depth to the beauty that lies within you. Though the world makes us think external beauty is the latter, internal beauty is eternal. And you my friend are both! 😉 love you.
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