"All my life, I’ve been told that I was beautiful – by my parents, my family, and my extended church family. Never once in my life had anyone that I loved and respected planted a seed of doubt about my beauty, my smarts, or my humor. Having the benefit of validation carried me through bullying and teasing in elementary school, and gave me unbelievable confidence in both my faith in God and in myself. I was confident in my plans to become a nurse, so sure about my future. Then everything spiraled out of my control."