Be Your Beautiful Self

By Nallely Villa

Growing up, I didn’t know how to express myself. In fact, self-expression was a completely unfamiliar concept to me. I was always the shy girl who thought her opinion and even her own being, to a certain extent, didn’t matter. 

At home, I was never taught to follow my dreams or to speak up when I needed to. My parents never talked to me about anything. They never asked me how my day went or how I was doing in school—nothing. Now, looking back, I think they were so focused on merely surviving, on making sure we had a roof over our heads and food on the table, that they didn’t have the time to provide any emotional support. Knowing this, you can probably understand why I would always keep to myself.

Without adequate love and support at home, I struggled to succeed in school. During my sophomore year in high school, I had a boyfriend who broke up with me for another girl we knew. At the time, I couldn’t believe it—I was deeply hurt and unsure why. However, I recognize now that our relationship was the only form of love I had ever experienced at that point in my life, so losing it utterly devastated me. I also had no one available to effectively guide me through these emotions. My female cousins had never been in relationships, and my friends were just as young and inexperienced as I was. I had to learn everything on my own, taking each day one at a time.

Since then, I have come to understand that my imperfections do not define me, and I am genuinely happy with who I am as a person. I strive for more, I challenge myself to grow, and I have girlfriends who challenge me as well. I have a strong desire to help other people, especially those who struggle with accepting themselves. Having friends and a community to rely on is such a blessing; it has truly changed me for the better. It’s a part of who I am now, and I hope I can provide the same kind of support for others out there. 

For anyone else working through the same challenges, know that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, and it’s okay to express your true self—there are people in this world who will love and respect you for it. Don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams; just go for it. Find yourself and be that beautiful self of yours. Be Empowered & Poised.

If you’d like to connect with Nallely, you can find her on Instagram at @nallelyyv.