Embrace your Flaws {Be Comfortable in your own skin} “You do you boo”
Flaws, do you have a flaw? Big or small, and insecurity, something you really wish was different about yourself. If the answer is yes, guess what, it's okay, because we all do. Somedays, are harder to deal with our insecurities then others, but today I’m here to help encourage you to embrace and accept your flaws and be confident and comfortable in your own skin.
Vitiligo is one of my many flaws, I usually prefer not to share or discuss this, but the reason I’m here and writing this is to change that about myself and hopefully encourage all of you to do the same with any insecurities you may be facing. Vitiligo is a skin pigment disorder, where you lack Melanin, therefore creates uneven coloration of the skin tones, where certain spots do not tan but stay an albino white. Vitiligo is caused by a loss of pigment in the skin, due to destruction of pigment-forming cells known as melanocytes. There is no cure for this skin disease as researchers are still unsure as to what causes it.
When I first found out I had Vitiligo, I was 16 and already going through a bunch of life changes as any typical teenager, so this diagnosis was very devastating news. I remember all my friends going to the pool or beach laying out in the sun without a worry or care. The doctor advised me to avoid the sun, as the unaffected skin would tan, but the vitiligo spots would stay white patches, therefore making it more noticeable. So there I was, a teen hiding from the sun, stuck in the shade, and at times embarrassed to even wear a swimsuit because of my uneven skin tones. Over the years, this disease effected me in many ways, mentally in which I previously went to speak with a psychiatrist, health wise as it is autoimmune disease so I constantly struggle with low immunity, and physically as well. Over the past 20 years, I have applied multiple self tanners, make-ups, lotions, plus have made multiple doctor visits in search for a cure. I tried everything I could to hide this about myself, hoping people wouldn't notice my flaw, always covering the spots so I didn't stand out in a negative way or what I thought was a negative way. I constantly felt hiding this was necessary, especially with having an on stage performing career and literally being in the spot light. I spent too many years and too much money trying to hide something that actually made me unique. As I matured into my 20s I started to realize I am the one who sees it as a defect, a flaw, a problem, not others and wondered why I was doing this to myself. I started thinking, Maybe if I cared less about my outer appearance and tuned in more to my inner self, more selfless/less selfish views, focusing less on the negative and more on the positive, I would start to see a difference. Once breaking through that awful negative barrier and changing to a positive perspective I was able to finally accept my flaw. Realizing it is not what others think, it is what you feel that creates those insecurities. Thats where the root of the problem lies, once we love and accept ourselves fully and start to feel good about ourselves we can then overcome our flaws.
At age 31, Vitiligo has now spread to probably 60% of my body. I continue to stay cautious in the sun using SPF 100, and spend a good portion of my time in the shade. But I also spend way less time trying to cover it and can now own wearing a swimsuit, while rocking my uneven skin tone carefree, because I finally accepted my uniqueness my spotted skin. I wish I could have realized the positive perspective back in my youth, instead of hiding and feeling insecure all those previous years. Each year growing wiser and gaining maturity only makes it easier to embrace flaws, I hope sharing this with all of you can pursued you to view your insecurities in the positive light.
Why was I so concerned what other people might think about my flaw? (Ask yourself this question as well.) We live in a world where appearance really matters, and yes we should take care of ourselves properly to stay healthy and look good, but step one is we must love ourselves first... Be happy, comfortable, and confident in our own skin. I believe a flaw is not a weakness and does not make someone any less, but can actually build character making you stronger and more confident. Vitiligo has helped shape me into the person I am and has humbled me in many ways. Mostly it has helped me to actually see a person’s soul vs their physical exterior. Our Flaws should show us a different perspective, that no-one is perfect and everyone in this world has something they are facing that they feel flaws them.
I actually don't even like to call it a flaw, I prefer to call it a blessing. If we all can view our flaws as blessing and not as a negative impact, we can maybe understand that we have them to show us it is ok to be imperfect. It is all about perception and our mentality if we want to feel down, continuing to have a pity party, or if we prefer to dwell on the positive things that flaws can bring to our lives. It's our freewill to decide our perception, but I highly recommend the positive route.
I hope I can encourage you to accept your insecurities, whatever it is that you may struggle accepting. Today I hope you wake up and own and love who you are for what you have. Stop hiding behind that insecurity, Look at yourself in the mirror, tell yourself you are beautiful, smart, and have so much to offer this world, because you really do! You are worth so much! Love yourself for you. Go out into the world being your fabulous self and remember “You do you boo.”
“We may not be perfect but each and everyone of us is created perfectly just they way we were meant to be. We are perfectly imperfect.”
