For most of my life, I believed self-love was waiting for me in a smaller body.

I spent years dieting, tracking macros, counting calories, and chasing a version of myself that always seemed just out of reach. When I eventually gained nearly sixty pounds despite doing everything "right," I was forced to confront a painful truth: I hadn't loved myself when I was thin either.

This isn't a story about weight gain.

It's a story about self-worth.

About the beliefs we inherit, the standards we spend a lifetime chasing, and what happens when we finally stop waiting to love ourselves.