Turn Your Weakness into Your Superpower

Body Positivity has become an essential part of our lives, thanks to the rapidly changing standards of beauty, and everybody’s best friend: social media. However, there are still some people who feel insecure because of other people’s remarks regarding their ‘flaws’. That’s why I’m here! Call me your Body Positive fairy God mother. I am here to help you with your Body Positive journey toward unconditional self-love.

Being Bullied Should Not Affect You.

Everybody has been bullied for something at some point in their lives. Even your bully has been bullied, trust me babe! But, we’re not here to do a psych evaluation on your bully, we are here because you want to turn your perceived weakness into your superpower. Once you master the art of not being phased by remarks about your perceived ‘flaw’ or ‘weakness’, YOU WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE! I totally feel like being a ‘Big’, “Thick’, ‘Curvy’ (whatever you want to call it) woman is my SUPER POWER. You can use being (insert perceived flaw here) as your SUPER POWER, and this will repel bullying. It is not easy at first, but I promise, practice makes perfect. The image below shows how I use the 'negative' comments to my advantage.

As a 27 year old 'Curvy' woman, I am highly confident. Nevertheless, growing up wasn’t always easy for me as I was not always confident in my skin. When I was younger, I ALWAYS wanted to be a dancer. When I was four years old, I took up Ballet and it was awesome. But then I went to hip-hop, and that was more my forte. A few years down the line, I started being ridiculed for the dreams I had by peers, friends, and family. High School was the worst experience for me. My mother specifically sent me to an art school because she knew what I was capable of. But I did not utilize the opportunity because being ridiculed for being a ‘fat’ girl and wanting to dance, destroyed me. I was a teen, so it was a different time. Moreover, I didn’t grow up in the time of Lizzo, Ashley Graham, Thick Leyonce and other powerful body advocates. Gen Z, you all are so lucky to have these types of influences on social media. After high school, I changed the game and morphed into a woman I wanted to see growing up. and YES! That’s what I am doing now. I am a fitness instructor at an international fitness center (I don’t name drop) and the position has changed my life. Here are three ways how you can change yours.

1. Love yourself unconditionally and you will change the game

Once you realize that you are a magnetic human being with flaws, you have accomplished the first step to greatness. People assume that your flaws are your weakness, and therefore, they pick you apart. But once you love yourself unconditionally, in light of your flaws, you will change your life. So I was ridiculed in high school for being the fat girl who wanted to dance but look at me now, teaching dance fitness classes through Body Positivity. Some participants in my classes were those who ridiculed me at school, seeking my advice. Oh, how the turn tables! But let me not get ‘cocky’ here. Never let people make you believe that your 'flaw' is something that is standing in your way because it is not. In fact, your flaw is your greatest asset, USE IT.

2. Wear the negative things they say as a badge of Honor

I’ve been called fat, loud, slutty, vain and all those other ugly names in between. Now I wear them as a badge of honor (check the image again). People think that words will make you fall flat to the ground. It is time to let your journey unfold and walk with a stride of pride Sister! Or Brother! One of the best people to have ever changed the game is Ru Paul Charles. A gay black man, that totally changed the entire world for all gay men alike! Today we see drag queens all over television and social media, whereas being gay was frowned upon during the 1970s and 1980s. We have come a long way because somebody decided to wear the negative things people say with pride and live a fully authentic life as himself.

3. Change the Game: GO FOR IT

You’re too fat to do this, you have too many scars for that, you’re too short to go there. Pfft, if I had a dollar for every time somebody told me I couldn’t do something because of my size, I’d be sipping cocktails on a yacht, in Thailand. ‘You can’t be a dancer because you’re fat’, ‘you can’t date that guy cause he is fit and you’re fat’, ‘you can’t wear that dress it makes your A** look fat’. Oh Please! Being bullied is a traumatic experience, but all a bully ever wants is to see weakness in a person they believe to have strengths. Nobody ever hated on anybody they don’t perceive as a threat. I know that being bullied feels like you’re being targeted and attacked, but it’s time to utilize that energy and get rich of your perceived weaknesses, honey! MAKE IT YOUR SUPERPOWER. I would pay top dollar to see a five-foot model on Victoria's Secret runway (If this has happened, please nudge me). You know the famous Shakespearean saying, ‘though she be little, she be fierce’.

Live your lives, babes!

Singed: Curve Dancer