Beauty is only...

Skin deep....? 

I think everyone has heard that.  I sorta hate it these days.

There is this struggle in society right now regarding bullying and body shaming.  It's sad.  I understand not being satisfied with your body to some degree.  I have always been overweight, and I've been working for the past two years to seriously change that. I don't want or care about six pack abs, I just want to be healthy.  I don't care how fast I run, I just like running. I don't cut out certain types of food, I just choose to eat smaller portions. 

All those things are great and I'm glad that I'm choosing to be healthier, however the physical changes don't make me feel beautiful. My husband doesn't find me more attractive because my waist is smaller.  

I'm beautiful because I'm compassionate, intelligent, a liberal, a feminist, diligent, outspoken... Because I'm me.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't be healthy. You should. Because people love you and want you to stick around.

I am saying that changing your body doesn't make you beautiful. You already have that, you just have to learn to recognize it. 

For those who think it's okay to body shame. You suck at bring a person. Period. It's not your body, shut up. I don't care if you hate tattoos, piercings, short hair, beards, bald heads, fat people, skinny people, tall people or short people... I didn't ask you to do anything to your body, and unless I engage you in conversation on a regular basis, your opinion isn't wanted. You don't get to ruin my day because you feel it is necessary to be hateful.

Men don't have to look a certain way, women don't have to look a certain way. That would be incredibly boring. My thighs may always have dimples and my eyebrows thick. But I'm me and you are you and each of us is beautiful.