Settle Down - The 1975 (Acoustic Cover By Jazzy Heath)

Settle Down - The 1975 (Acoustic Cover By Jazzy Heath)

Beauty < Art

After years of worrying and thinking, I've made a decision that I think will benefit me as a growing person...

For years, I have been a victim to the media when it comes to body image. I know that lots of my friends have been victims too. I wanted to be thin and what people classed as 'beautiful'. I've spent years trying to perfect this image only to realise that it's impossible. 

Over the past few years I've learnt lots of lessons. I stopped being religious. Although religion helped me to meet some of the best people I could ever ask to have in my life, I realised that religion was making me feel restricted and I couldn't really be who I am. I learnt how to use basic photoshop. I learnt how to turn someone with natural, imperfections into something unrealistic - the women we see on the television and in fashion magazines. 

Over the summer, I developed an 'I don't give a crap' attitude about lots of things. As soon as I let go of my cares, I noticed my whole life change instantly. I no longer felt the need to impress people or compare myself. Of course, I still care about certain things; I want to do well at college and get into a good uni, but when it comes to people, I'm surrounded by people who love me and only want the best for me. I cut out the people who don't care from my life and that has made a big difference to my life.

I saw a quote a few months ago and decided to put it on my instagram:

http://instagram.com/p/sQmOWVEV2c/?modal=true

I now live by this quote and I think that if you get worried that you don't look good enough sometimes, then you should live by this too. I no longer want to be beautiful. There are people living with diseases, living without hair because of chemo, living with cleft lip. These people would kill to have a face without those things. I'm lucky.

I know that I'm not the most beautiful or pretty person alive, but that no longer matters to me. I'm human. And I don't have a disease that affects the way I look. I'm so lucky. I want to look like art. I love piercings and tattoos and I plan to get lots because they look lovely to me. I want to have meaningful art on me to express myself. I know that some people don't like the piercings and tattoos that I will get. But I just really don't care. My body is a temple, and I'm decorating the walls.