Woman Bullied for Genetic Disorder Takes Back Her Power by Being a Success

There is a saying that states, "Success is the best revenge…"

Lizzie Velasquez discovered this answer after she was cyber bullied via video and called the "World's Ugliest Woman" because of a genetic disorder. Velasquez has a rare genetic disorder that prevents her from putting on weight; she has never weighed more than 60 pounds in her life. After relentless bullying, stares, name-calling and the viral cyber bullying, she got to a point where she felt flooded with anger and realized if she didn't do something about all her anger and negativity, she would never be able to live her life.

In her words, "I decided that rather than sink to their level, I'd fight the video with my accomplishments." And accomplish she did…

Velasquez wrote a book, "Be Beautiful, Be You" in where she tells her story and encourages others to find their inner strength and build their self esteem. In a nutshell, she talks of loving yourself and going after what you want in life.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? It is part of what I talk about in the book, "Bullies Suck" in the chapter that talks about loving yourself unconditionally.  The reality is that you are the only person that you spend 100% of your time with and if you aren't very good company, you aren't going to be very happy. If you don't love yourself unconditionally, you are like a bucket that no matter how much water you put in to it, it never gets full.

When you aren't happy with yourself, nothing soothes that feeling you have. You think that if you make more m-o-n-e-, you'll be happy; then you make more, you aren't happy so you try to do make even more. Or, you say, "If I just lose ten pounds, then I will be happy"; you lose the ten pounds, you still aren't happy, so you pick something else.  The list of what people do and say goes on and on…

The important thing – and Velasquez figured this out – is deciding to be happy and love yourself RIGHT NOW. Today. This instant, warts and all. After that, decide what is you want to do, not because "If I do this, then I will be happy", but "I am happy, and I want to do this…" This is a huge shift and distinction for most people; many people aren't even conscious enough to even realize they do this. It is not that people don't care to do this or don't want to change how they feel – no one has ever taught them how.

Knowing what to do is only half the equation; discovering HOW to do it is the second part, which I cover in detail in the book, "Bullies Suck" and in the Ultimate Bullying Solution Society Newsletter. Learning these tools and then passing them on to friends and family – I believe – is our duty. Most people when asked would agree that everyone needs to learn how to swim, right? What happens if you fall into a body of water, even though you may not live near one and you don't know how to swim? You could drown. Accidents happen.

We teach ourselves and our kids to look both ways when you cross the street, right? We all cross streets thousands of times in our lifetime, so we are going to constantly be checking both ways for the rest of our lives so we don't get hit by cars. Why is teaching ourselves and our children fundamental mental and physical tools to prepare and protect ourselves from bullying any different? There are going to be bullies in life, bullying isn't going away and we are all going to have to face them at some point.

We may as well be ready when the time comes.

Stay strong,

Sensei