julia - Love the skin you’re in

I'm on a mission to show the world that women are beautiful and powerful at every size, shape, age, and color. Every woman is beautiful and it's my goal to show you your own magnificence so you can change the way you see yourself and move towards full acceptance and love for your body and self.

Julia, along with a number of other women, joined me in my Love The Skin You’re In movement and answered the questionnaire below to help them tap into their own unique truths about beauty, self-image and self-love.

What is your definition of beauty?

*Feeling good in your own skin and smiling. A smile can really light up a person's face and make them and others feel good.

What do you remember learning about beauty from a young age? What impacted you the most that you’ve carried with you into adulthood (positive or negative)?

*I always thought I had to be thin and In high school I was always taking diet pills. I continued after school until it really started to affect my body. I stopped and really tried to love myself for me. It's still a long hard road but at least my body feels good and that's all I ever wanted.

Do you think you’re beautiful?

*Sometimes.

Tell me your story! What life experiences have made you who you are today?

*I was a dancer for many years and being around tiny girls was always hard. I've always been bigger and have always compared myself. It wasn't until I entered my 20s that I really started to feel better about myself. I recently started to work out again after a while of letting my self go because I had a hard year last year. I had 2 miscarriages in a row. I really didn't care about me anymore. I was so depressed. But this year I decided to make a change. I started to work out again and since June I've lost 10 lbs. It's not much but I already feel stronger and more like me again. I'm not done working on myself but just feeling a little bit better has changed my mindset.

What is your favorite NON physical feature about yourself? (After all, beauty is a light in the heart!)

*I'm a hair stylist and love to make people feel good about themselves.

What words of wisdom, based on your personal experience, would you like to share with others who struggle to see their own beauty?

*Don't compare yourself to others. It's a dangerous road. Remember to smile and keep your head up because everyone is beautiful.

Why are beautiful photos important for you right now?

*I would love to look at photos of myself and love them. That's a rare thing. Since loosing a little weight and feeling better mentally I would love to have some photos to remind myself to love me.

How does being the woman you are today make you uniquely powerful?

*Going through hard life experiences has made me strong. Even when I'm weak I can always try to focus on the positive. Even if it takes some time.