THE STORIES OF YOU

I’ve not had it easy growing up. I’ve suffered through PTSD and I’m trying to learn how to live with it. I wasn’t sure what the course of my life would be, and there were times I was unsure I’d make it to my twenties. 

Facing myself has been my biggest challenge. I have been my biggest antagonist at times and I am still working on changing those automatic negative thoughts. I have the rest of my life ahead of me now, and I’m scared and excited. 

[If I could tell my younger self anything], I would tell her… to be brave. I want everyone to know their power comes from inside. Call it instinct, intuition, or a gut feeling, we all have power inside of us. Don't be afraid of it, lean into it.

Whenever it comes to modeling, size can definitely be an issue. Especially since I'm not considered a plus size model, but I'm too big for "normal sizes".

Compared to when I was growing up [the modeling world is more inclusive], but to me, it seems that the industry thinks that most plus size models and women are 5"10, big-chested, tiny waist - just that beautiful hourglass figure - which is great [for them] to have, but a lot of bigger women are not like that. 

[Accepting myself] has been a rollercoaster and I know that's never going to change, but it's so much better than hating yourself constantly. You just have to take all of you in and work with what you got. Embrace it and make it your own beauty. 

Keep going. You will find whatever you are looking for that won't make you want to change yourself and you will be so happy you didn't settle.