Association of California School Administrators

Overcoming my insecurities

How to feel comfortable in your own body

By Alejandra Chavez, Royal Oak Middle School | May | June 2021

Insecure.

That’s a word most people would know. In this story, I will talk about how I started to overcome my insecurities.

I lived in Covina, but I had to go to school in Rosemead because no one was able to watch me after school. My sisters and I would wake up at 6 a.m., and my mom would drop us off at my Nina’s house so she could take us and pick us up from school. From kindergarten to fourth grade, I went to the school in Rosemead. I got teased because I wasn’t as skinny as most of the kids at that school. I would also get teased because I have hairy arms. The kids at that school would say, “Are your parents bears, because you have really hairy arms.” I didn’t think anything of it and I would just laugh it off.

As I got older, I started to let their words get to me. I was always on social media, so I always thought I had to look like these girls. I noticed that all the girls who I was insecure about never had glasses and I did. In seventh grade, I would always wear jeans and a hoodie because I was insecure about my thighs, my stomach and my arms.

Summer going into eighth grade I found this TikToker, Sienna Mea Gomez. Her account was all about body positivity and learning to love yourself. As I started to watch her more, I became less and less insecure. I started to feel comfortable in my body. I stopped wearing jeans and hoodies 24/7. I started to wear whatever I wanted to wear and not what I should wear because of other people teasing or bullying me. I realized that I should love myself because I don’t need a flat stomach or a thigh gap — if I didn’t have that I wouldn’t be able to play the drums on my stomach and thighs!

Now, of course, I’m not fully confident, but I’m getting there slowly each day. If you have struggles with body image, it’s OK! If we all tried to look like the same person, there would be no flavor in the world. Stop caring about what others think and just be you, because you are perfect. You are the best version of yourself you can be. Love yourself because you are great just the way you are!

(This is in no way intended to bring people who are skinny down! Love you!)

Alejandra Chavez attends Royal Oak Middle School in the Charter Oak Unified School District.