Letters to a Younger Me

"Outwardly I was quiet and shy; a cover for my insecurity. I had a big imagination, but I kept it to myself. If I could give myself some advice back then it’d be: You aren’t meant to fade into the background, you stand out. The stories you imagine– they’re good enough to be books and movies. Everything you need to make your dreams come true is already inside your mind and heart." -  Jay Miranda

"For most of my childhood, I remember feeling unstoppable- totally fearless and confident in who I was. Around middle school, something shifted for me and I all of a sudden became incredibly aware of my looks. It all started when a boy made fun of my nose [...] I became self conscious about my face and body and remember wanting to hide [...] As an adult now, I look back and am heartbroken that little Raff ever felt that way. Thankfully, my strong involvement in sports and influential female coaches helped me realize my worth." - Raffinee Esquivel

"Oh, the things I wish I could go back and tell her. ⁣When I was 12, my happiest and most confident moments always revolved around sports. But I was already fixated on the scales [...] paying attention to how others spoke about my body and how they spoke about theirs. I was already giving up on big dreams and giving in to beauty ideals and expectations labeled across every magazine.⁣ At 14 years old, I played sports for the last time. And I’ve regretted how it ended ever since.⁣ If I could tell her anything, I would tell her to seek joy rather than acceptance. And that there is so much more to her than what others can physically see.⁣" - Meg Boggs

"This is one piece of advice I would’ve loved to give myself: Do not judge yourself for your struggles. I promise it’s not “just you” struggling so badly. Your worth has nothing to do with your weight and one day, you will believe it." - Kelly Uchima

"⁣You may feel like you need to work incredibly hard and constantly be on your toes to fit in and feel beautiful. You may feel like your lack of beauty and your awkwardness make you a burden to others; all this effort and strain is what you owe to others for the space you take up by existing. But you don’t owe anyone anything. Please take a deep breath, shake those shoulders out, shake your face, and relax it, massage your jaw. You can love yourself as you are right at this moment, take your time, discover all that you are, and then give yourself the love you deserve.⁣" - Annie Segarra

"I was very much in battle with my body image and wished to be a bigger kid because of how much I was criticized for being the tiniest girl in class. As I got older and learned that we are all unique in our own ways, I feel confident enough to advise my younger self that I am worthy and in fact delectable." - Adanna Maduke