Courage

         Courage. The Cowardly Lion in the classic tale of Wizard of Oz defines courage. From the different definitions that I've read, it was much needed that I come up with my own meaning for the word. The power to hold one's ground and render the dreams and spirits each soul contains. I understand how this may not make any sense to some people but the word means different things to different people. I believe that courage defines the steps taken to stand up to a person, no matter how scary they or the situation may seem. Take the Cowardly Lion as an example. He found that even the worst enemies have fears and he used this to take down the wicked witch. How ironic that a lion is cowardly. When I think of this animal, I think of a strong and prideful beast in which doesn't fear much of anything.
       Winston Churchill once said "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." To me, this means that we all know it takes courage to stand up to someone but what we often don't realize is that it many times takes a hell of a lot more to sit down and remain silent.

Stop Hating Your Body!

          In the past couple of weeks I have been gaining weight and it has really been bothering me. I think that I may need to go and buy some new jeans this weekend and that scares me. I step on the scale and as I look at the number, I remember how hard it was to get away from it and now I'm back where I was. It's like I put all of this work into starving myself and now it was all for nothing. I realized something though. I will NEVER be happy with what I weigh. Most people wont. I try to think about why I care so much. Why is it so important for me to lose weight? I can't give you an honest, real answer. Why would I want to jeopardize my health to be scary skinny? I remember having no energy and hiding from the world. I would much rather look how I do now and be out there experiencing life, than wasting it away and hiding. 
       

       
          I came across a really inspiring blog today and I want to share it with all of you. It's called 'Stop Hating Your Body.' It's a blog that was creating to remind us all how beautiful we are. Many people have posted their own stories about how they have struggled with an eating disorder, self-harm, or being bullied and taunted about their looks. It helps me to remember that I'm not alone. None of us are. Your age, gender, race, and size don't matter. You are who you are and there is no reason to hide that. You deserve love and happiness in your life. That includes loving YOURSELF and being happy with YOURSELF. I want everyone to know that your flaws are what make you beautiful and special.