The first thing I do when I wake up is check the weather. If it’s a nice day, I plan to wear something nice. It was 65 degrees today, and I decided I wanted to wear a maxi skirt with a tank top. I tucked my tank top into my skirt, and walked out the door.

I went to the store to grab a few groceries. While I was there, I reached for an item on a higher shelf, which, let’s be honest, or me is pretty much anything above the second shelf. My shirt became un-tucked. Two other girls who were in the aisle, one about the same size as me and the other one with a petite shape, decided to giggle and make comments, as if I couldn’t hear them. “That’s why fat girls shouldn’t wear clothes like that,” one said. And “She’s disgusting, too.”

I heard these comments, and then I walked right by the two of them. “It’s sad isn’t it?” I said. The two girls were in shock that I said something. I continued: “What’s sad is the fact that you guys are so unhappy with yourselves that you have to body-shame someone who’s confident.” And then I walked away.

Listen girls, boys, whoever and wherever you are: if you are confident with your body, and even if you aren’t, wear what you like to wear. Wear what makes you comfortable and what makes you feel beautiful by your standards, not by someone else’s. I felt like a princess in my outfit today. I find it absolutely disgusting that people are willing to spread more negative comments about others than positive ones. My midriff was showing an inch because I reached for a higher shelf, and people couldn’t keep their comments to themselves. So, I un-tucked my shirt and wore it like that for the rest of the day. I will not let people have an impact on what makes me feel like myself, and what makes me feel beautiful – and neither should anybody else.

Big, small, short, or tall – be body positive. It’s time to stop spreading hate and degrading people, and start spreading love and kindness. Maybe then the world won’t be so chaotic.