Channel Your Inner Disney Princess: Body Positivity Through the Eyes of a Weekend Princess

Although most college students have to slum through flipping burgers or answering phones until they have their degree, I am lucky.
There seems to be a growing industry, at least in southern california, of "birthday party princesses." A few years ago, increasingly more and more of my actor friends were working for these companies. It's the perfect fit for an aspiring performer: entertaining at parties and events on weekends, and pursuing their acting career during the week. I watched enviously on the sidelines, wishing I could have a job like that.

Not only do I love performing Disney songs (the notorious mezzo-soprano princess belt is right in my sweet spot), but I LOVE kids. Since I aspire to be a theatre educator, I couldn't think of a more perfect job... but I never even apllied. Why? Well, as a size 8 or 9 at the time, I thought I could never pass for one of the unrealisticly thin Disney Princesses.  I felt unconfident and lethargic, 2 qualities that don't exactly scream "Disney Princess." So, I pushed that little dream to the side, thinking that I could never and would never look and feel like my beauitful friends who worked for those companies.

And then something really awesome happened.

Well, at the time I didn't think it was really awesome, but it turned out to be. 2 years ago, I went through a really bad breakup. Without someone else to constantly dote on, I was alone with my thoughts, and it made me realize how unhappy I had become with myself and my appearance. For the first time in my life, I was uncomfortable wearing shorts, I couldn't run more than a mile without stopping, and I definitely looked a far cry from "Disney Princess." So, I decided to do something about it.
My weight has always been something I incesently worried about. Throughout middle school and high school, I yo-yod from being thin to the point that friends and family were worried, to overweight to the point that I hardly recognized myself. I fasted, I binged, I purged, I took diet pills, I tried every crash diet known to man, and guess what? Nothing lasted. I decided that this was the end of that, and I was going to loose the weight permanently and in a healthy manner. Instead of focusing on weight loss, I focused on becoming healthy. I wanted to feel good inside, and overtime that translated to the way I looked on the outside. In the back of my mind, I always kept that goal that someday I could be one of those "Disney Princess" girls.

Over about 8 months, I lost 28 pounds. But more importantly, I gained confidence. I broke the cycle of gaining and loosing weight, and learned how to create a healthy lifestyle that is sustainable. People have been asking me, "what's your secret?" expecting some sort of one step magic "fix-all" that will make them thin and confident. The truth is, I didn't do anything ground breaking. I ate food, I drank water, I excercised regularly, and I didn't worry about having that 'perfect' body. I focused on myself, and becoming the person I wanted to be.
 Today, I am supporting myself through college by-you guessed it- being a birthday party princess. I'm still a far cry from the slim 'ideal' waist that is perpetuated by Disney Princesses, but that doesn't stop me from looking and acting the part. Now I am healthy, happy, and confident, three qualities that make me look and feel just as much of a 'disney princess' as any size 2.
In short, size doesn't matter. What does matters is the way you feel. What matters is getting to a point where you can be body positive and comfortable in your own skin.
Be healthy, be happy, be confident, and channel your inner Disney Princess.