Lizzie Velásquez, 25, was once branded “the world’s ugliest woman” by cyber bullies. She learned about this when she clicked on a YouTube video that featured a few seconds of her from a local television interview. The video had gone viral, attracting 4 million views and thousands of cruel comments in just a few days.
The Texas native suffers from a rare, undiagnosed syndrome that stops her body from storing fat. As a result, Lizzie stands at just five-foot two-inches tall and weighs merely 58 pounds.
While doctors have yet to find a cure for her condition, Lizzie is determined not to let life and the opinions of others get her down. She took the horrid comments in stride and used them to her advantage, transforming herself from “the world’s ugliest woman” to one of the most inspirational motivational speakers in existence. Here is what she has to say.
#1 “I realized I don’t really want a cure for this syndrome. If a doctor found a magic pill or some surgery that would help me gain weight, I wouldn’t want it. All the struggles have made me who I am today.”
You are who you are. Sure it might be a nice idea to go back and erase all the bad things that have happened in your life but if you did then you wouldn’t be you. The struggles make us who we are. They might be hard, but the outcome is worth it.
#2 “I’m human…of course these things are going to hurt…(but) I’m not going to let those things define me.”
As much as we may try, it’s just about impossible to brush off the cruel things others say about us. The key, Lizzie says, is not to let those things or those people define us. Brush the comments aside and be proud of yourself.
#3 “You don’t have to look like a supermodel or a movie star to be happy or successful or whatever you want to be!”
Looks are far from everything, so don’t build your dreams around them. You can achieve whatever you desire no matter your shape, size or looks. So don’t set yourself invisible boundaries.
#4 “If someone compliments me on my eye makeup, I get really excited, because I can only see out of one eye, so I’m literally putting makeup on blind.”
None of us get complimented as much as we deserve, which is why it’s impossible to take every compliment as it comes. Don’t brush them aside; be proud of what you have achieved.
#5 “No matter where you’re at, no matter who you’re around, always stay true to who you are. Don’t ever change who you are to try to be popular or make friends. Stay true to who you are, be proud of who you are. Walk into a room and be confident and own your personality, your values and everything about yourself. And everything will kind of just fall into place.”
You are completely unique and that’s something you will never lose. Stand tall. Be proud of what and who you are.
#6 “Use that negativity in your life to make yourself better. Use it, because I guarantee you, you will win.”
The people who hand out negativity win only if we let them. Life is a series of choices and we can choose to turn their negativity into something great, something that will push us that step further instead of pulling us down.
#7 “I know that, when I put myself out there, with the good comes the bad.”
Life isn’t always going to be perfect, but as long as you stay positive and realize that there is light at the end of the tunnel, you’ll be okay.
#8 “There’s days where I’m like, in my mind, ‘I wish I could tell this person something!’ But it’s not going to accomplish anything. It’s just going to be me sinking down to their level and a never-ending battle of hiding behind a computer screen.”
As good as it may feel to give the haters a taste of their own medicine, it won’t achieve anything. Just remember, it annoys them more if you rise above their hate than if you let it drown you, so hold your head up high and ignore them.
#9 “People are going to have these opinions of me, but I’m not going to let it affect me.”
When people insult us, we have a conscious choice to make. We can either let it destroy us or we can let it fuel our success. The choice is yours, so choose wisely.
#10 “I think the best advice I’ve ever been given is to not ever give up. I feel like it’s kind of a cliché thing to say like, ‘Oh, don’t give up, it will get better.’ But honestly, getting that message across, to not give up, to keep that hope alive, is something I’m very passionate about. Because I’ve been in that place.”
When the darkness comes, hope is all we have. Hold on to it tightly, appreciate all you have in your life and remember that you are beautiful!
As Lizzie has demonstrated, life isn’t always easy. In fact, sometimes it’s really hard. At the end of the day, however, life is exactly what you make of it, so it’s up to you to find hope, embrace inspiration and live the life you deserve. Be inspired; be beautiful!
Cover photo: free.niooz.fr
She is beautiful. And her eye make-up is superb.