It was November 2018. The sun was shining, and there was snow on the ground. It was my first semester of university and I was walking to class. ⠀
I put my glasses in my bag, put a hat on my head, and wore my hair down. All in an effort to hide myself. ⠀
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Walking without my glasses, I figured I couldn’t see anyone, so they might not see me, right? As I walked, my long hair naturally fell behind me, and I kept bringing it to the front.
In an attempt to cover the acne on my cheeks. ⠀
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It was my first time hiding- to this extent. My skin had never been as bad as it was at this time in my life. My cheeks were severely inflamed. I avoided social interactions (yup, even as an extrovert) and wished I could spend my days hiding in my room. What I would have given in that moment to have my old skin back. So I could feel free again. I dreaded sunny days. Because I knew, that when the sun fell on my skin, every bump, scar, and imperfection would be visible. Even makeup couldn’t save me. ⠀
Fast forward to today. I’m no longer that scared, self- conscious girl (I mean, we’re all self- conscious sometimes). I embrace the feeling of the sun kissing my cheeks. No, my skin is not perfect- but I’ve come a long way and am more comfortable in my body. ⠀
I’ve learned that stress is a trigger for me and getting healthier does not happen overnight. I am constantly learning new things and implementing new practices into my daily life. From what I’m putting into my body, to how I move my body, to how I speak to myself. The biggest thing I’ve learned, is that healing is not linear, and to be patient with my journey.
You may feel stuck where you are in this moment. That’s okay. It’s important for you to be at the stage you are on your journey right now, in order to get to where you want to be.
- Kiran Jagpal
Kinesiology student, Campus Wellness Digital Communications Assistant, Residence Life Don
