1.
“They keep saying that beautiful is something a girl needs to be. But honestly? Forget that. Don’t’ be beautiful. Be angry, be intelligent, be witty, be klutzy, be interesting, be funny, be adventurous, be crazy, be talented – there are an eternity of other things to be other than beautiful. And what is beautiful anyway, but a set of letters strung together to make a word? Be your own definition of amazing, always. That is so much more important than anything beautiful, ever.” –Nikita Gill
2.
“Your body is a work of art; a living piece of history; a breathing canvas. Your body has been worshipped for centuries, not for its negative space – but for its presence. Not for its lacking, but for its abundance. Beautiful girl, Goddess girl, the world will re-learn this, just as you are learning now. Your body is not the problem.” – @nourishandeat
3.
“It was when I stopped searching for home within others and lifted the foundations of home within myself I found there were no roots more intimate than those between a mind and body that have decided to be whole.” –Rupi Kaur
4.
“Be softer with you. You are a breathing thing. A memory to someone. A home to a life.” – Nayyirah Waheed
5.
“You look healthy. And by that I don’t mean you look fat. I mean your face isn’t grey anymore, the circles under your eyes aren’t so dark. Your lips aren’t cracked and dry and your hair isn’t thinning and brittle. I mean you seemed more focused when I talk to you. You actually look at me and listen rather than being so unable to stay still or think about anything other than your illness that your eyes dart around the room and you nod maniacally the whole time I am speaking. You seem calmer, stiller, quieter. You’re easier to have a joke with and you take things on board much more than you used to. I mean you laugh now, you’re less serious. There’s life about you, it’s in your eyes and your smile, it’s in the way you speak and even in the way you go about your daily tasks. You look healthy. You look happy. It really, really suits you.” -@projecthealnyc
6.
“If you can accept your body, then you have a chance to see your body as your home. You can rest in your body, settle in, relax, and feel joy and ease. If you don’t accept your body and your mind, you can’t be at home with yourself. You have to accept yourself as you are. This is a very important practice. As you practice building a home in yourself, you become more and more beautiful.” – Unknown
7.
“Even when you felt you weren’t strong enough to survive, somehow you found the strength to survive anyway. What does that say about you, other than you are made from the blood of stars, with enough iron in your veins to make ten swords, and the same carbon that makes impossible to break diamonds?” –Nikita Gill
8.
“She finally reached a place of knowing she’d be ok, and that is the biggest part of the battle. Believing that you are meant for the good more than the bad.” –JM Storm
9.
“One day it just clicks. You realize what’s important and what isn’t. You learn to care less about what other people think of you and more about what you think of yourself. You realize how far you’ve come and you remember when you thought things were such a mess…and then you smile. You smile because you are truly proud of yourself and the person you’ve fought to become.” -Unknown
10.
“I want to apologize to all the women I have called pretty. Before I’ve called them intelligent or brave. I am sorry I made it sound as though something as simple as what you’re born with is the most you have to be proud of when your spirit has crushed mountains…from now on I will say things like, you are resilient, or you are extraordinary. Not because I don’t think you’re pretty, but because you are so much more than that. –Rupi Kaur
11.
“And I said to my body softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath and replied, ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this.’” –Nayyirah Waheed
12.
“You’re so hard on yourself. Take a moment. Sit back. Marvel at your life: at the grief that softened you, at the heartache that wisened you, at the suffering that strengthened you. Despite everything, you still grow. Be proud of this.” –Unknown
13.
“The core of your true self is never lost. Let go of all the pretending and the becoming you’ve done just to belong. Curl up with your rawness and come home. You don’t have to find yourself; you just have to let yourself in.” –D. Antoinette Foy
14.
“Self love is an ocean and your heart is a vessel. Make it full, and any excess will spill over into the lives of the people you hold dear. But you must come first. –Beau Taplin
15.
“Love yourself a little more, you deserve to. And don’t waste your time on things that empty you. You have to save yourself, only you can do that.” –R.M. Drake
16.
“It doesn’t make sense to call ourselves ugly, because we don’t really see ourselves. We don’t watch ourselves sleeping in bed, curled up and silent with chests rising and falling with our own rhythm. We don’t see ourselves reading a book, eyes fluttering and glowing. You don’t see yourself looking at someone with love and care inside your herat. There’s no mirror in your way when you’re laughing and smiling and happiness is leaking out of you. You would know exactly how bright and beautiful you are if you saw yourself in the moments where you are truly yourself.” –Unknown
17.
“For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe we will end up being kind. If we shame ourselves, we believe we end up loving ourselves. It has never been true, not for a moment that shame leads to love. Only love leads to love.” –Geneen Roth
18.
“‘As you are.’ Says the universe. ‘After…’ you answer. ‘As you are.’ Says the universe. ‘Before…’ you answer. ‘As you are.’ Says the universe. ‘When…’ you answer. ‘As you are.’ Says the universe. ‘How…’ you answer. ‘As you are.’ Says the universe. ‘Why…’ you answer. ‘because you are happening now. Right now. Right at this moment and your happening is beautiful. The thing that both keeps me alive and brings me to my knees. You don’t even know how breathtaking you are. as you are.’ Says the universe through tears. -Nayyirah Waheed
