You don't have to live up to anyone else's standards, you don't have to look like anyone else, you don't have to compare yourself to anyone else. You being you is enough, and you putting your positivity and good vibes out into the world, once you get to that point absolutely everything will fall into place.
Lizzie Velasquez
My biggest piece of advice when it comes to bullying is to have an open communication about it.
I taught myself how to be a speaker on Google. I just Googled 'how to be a motivational speaker.'
No matter what we look like or what size we are, at the end of the day we are all human.
I have a passion for helping others and making a difference in the world. I take life one day at a time and make the best of it every chance that I get.
People think cyberbullying will never end, so why try to fix it? Which I completely understand. I will be the first to tell you that it's not going to end. But if you start making the change and start making the steps, over time change will happen.
My original plan was to graduate high school and major in computer engineering at college. That went out the window, and I said, 'I have to do something with speaking.'
Bullying in 2015 has a whole new look. It doesn't ever end. It's 24/7.
I eat small portions of crisps, sweets, chocolate, pizza, chicken, cake, doughnuts, ice cream, noodles and pop tarts all day long, so I get pretty upset when people accuse me of being anorexic.
But I have the most incredible support system in the world. They let me have those times when I just want to cry. But I give myself a deadline and say, today's my sad day but tomorrow when the sun comes up it's done.
I weigh myself regularly and if I gain even one pound I get really excited.
Being a 13-year-old girl who is constantly picked on is unbearable.
I told myself that I wanted to be a motivational speaker, I wanted to write a book, graduate college, have my own family, and have my own career.
As I got older, I knew my syndrome wasn't going away. It was a hard pill to swallow. I wanted to look like everyone else and blend in, and I couldn't find a way to make that happen. I couldn't blame the doctors or my parents, so I blamed myself.
God made me the way I am for a reason and I would never change that. I lead a normal life as much as possible and deal with the bumps in the road as they come along with my head held high and a smile on my face!
Whether it's your personal life, your work life, your school life, your confidence, everything will fit once you believe in yourself.
When I was a teenager I would look in the mirror and wish I could wash away my syndrome. I hated it because it caused so much pain in my life.
I am very determined but I also have a tendency to be very stubborn. If I'm ever told I can't do something I put my mind to or that I won't be able to accomplish, I automatically think of it is a dare that I won't do it and it makes me that much more determined to get it accomplished.
I can pretty much make a joke out of any situation, I'm quick on my feet and I love to laugh. I am the biggest girly girl. I love to get dressed up, go shopping, and getting my nails done.
Everyone knows life throws you curve balls, in my case it's like life throws me giant boulders.
Honestly, I had no idea I was different from other kids until I started kindergarten. To my family, I was just Lizzie.
My parents gave me an incredible foundation and a strong faith in who I am. They loved me in the face of so many unknowns.
In 2013, I did a TEDx talk in Austin. Until then I had sort of a following online but this was completely different - it went viral.
I feel I'm really glad I don't look like the celebrities out there who are beautiful, because there are a lot of stereotypes attached to that.
I make it a point to let myself have bad days on a regular basis.
I could eat absolutely whatever I want, whenever I want and I won't really gain any weight. I'm going to be 25 in March, and I've never weighed over about 64 pounds in my entire life.
No matter what age you are, I think if you're a girl or a boy, you're insecure. And it's not easy.
Beyond scheduling regular checkups with my cardiologist, there is no way to know if or when my heart condition might become critical.
Friends who were so supportive absolutely made my high school - that could have been traumatic - they definitely made it bearable.
You'd assume I was being bullied a tonne at school and it was horrible, but in reality, I really was getting bullied everywhere else.
You are the biggest influencer in your life.
Back when Myspace was around I couldn't wait to have my own account. My parents told me I could get one as long as I was okay with the fact that with the good comes the bad.
I believe there definitely are good things about social networking. It's a way for people to connect all around the world.
I normally don't ever talk about my dating life or anything super personal in the press just because I feel like there's this fine line between what to keep to myself and what to share.
I feel like I've built up this persona of always being positive and always being happy, and I worried if my audience sees me not in that light, will they think less of me? Will they discredit me? Will I just be nothing?
I experienced bullying as early as the first day of kindergarten and there were times where I wish could escape out of my body.
I've met so many people who have come up to tell me their personal stories, and a lot of them express the same feelings that I have, especially reading things online.
But after the TED talk went viral, I called Sara Hirsh Bordo, who had produced TEDxAustinWomen, to ask her advice. She told me she'd like to do a documentary, and that we should work together on anti-bullying efforts.
Having to look a certain way, or be a certain weight, comes from magazines, movies, the media.
I credit a lot of learning to love myself to my faith, my family and my friends. Everyone needs someone you can look to for constant support, who you never have to impress, to share your happy and sad days.
One thing I did was to create a Love Yourself List. I wrote down everything I like about myself, and put it on my bathroom mirror. Then I read it until I believed it. Any time I compared myself to others, and felt negative about myself, I'd go back to that list.
Bullying needs to have more attention, and there needs to be more open communication in schools to make kids feel comfortable enough to speak up.
Young girls and boys from all around the world let me know their personal story, and I can feel their smile through their words. To be able to look at those comments and just get encouragement from them and know that I am living the life that I'm supposed to is what keeps me going every day.
I was actually so small that my baby clothes were actually doll clothes from Toys 'R' Us because that's all that would fit me!
People have asked me if I had a miracle or a chance to change the way I look, I honestly know I would never do that.
I eat every 15-20 minutes to keep my energy levels up.
