She wasn’t wearing a pink tutu, but rather a pretty black top. She joyfully wore her little black top, without a care for anyone’s opinion.
“Go to your seat, scrawny girl,” were the words said by her first grade teacher. And all the students broke out into laughter. This was the moment when Manuela became aware. Aware that she was skinny, too skinny.
No more little black tops.
At that moment, and for many years that followed, she only wore turtlenecks and long sleeves. No one would ever see that she was still skin and bones despite all her efforts to put on weight.
We were in class together that fateful day. I don’t remember that moment but I’m sure that I also laughed… exuberantly.
How did she manage then to become such an extraordinary, accomplished, fulfilled woman?
She turned those insults into a career. At 17 years old, she decided to give modeling a shot. At the beginning, her body type fit the standards of her industry. It was normal, in her new entourage, to be as skinny as she was. As she became accepted and her attitude changed toward herself, she slowly began to see a change in others as well. Slowly but surely, by accepting herself more and more every day, she was able to rebuild her self-confidence. I’m proud of you, my dear friend!
Sometimes just changing your perspective on a situation that seems negative can impact the outcome of your life.
What were you teased about as a child ?