IN HER WORDS
“You are not only starting an important dialogue about mental health, but you are also telling your friends and family that they are not alone in their struggles, and most importantly you are proving to yourself that you are one incredibly brave person.”
"Just a reminder that 'to be beautiful' means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself".
"Be kind to yourself & remember that you are beautiful & this extends far beyond physical appearance."
ABOUT YASAMAN
Self love || Mental health advocate || Body positive || Queer positive
MY STORY
As some of you may know I personally have battled with depression and generalized anxiety disorder for most of my life. I've dealt with a lot of trauma in my life and all that repeated hurting contributed to various mental illnesses. I kept a lot of kept these battles to myself and suffered silently until last year when I created the #InsideOutChallenge. Since then I have connected with so many amazing people and have grown so much.
LIFE OUTSIDE OF INSTAGRAM
As many of you know, I am both a fashion/makeup"blogger" and an X-Ray technologist. The life that you see on Instagram isn't always what you think it is. I'm off to work in the morning, wearing scrubs & hoping to make a difference. After a long day I come home only to sit down at my makeup table to create a look for a brand collaboration. Occasionally I get paid to create a post, but by no means could I pay rent with that money. A lot of people have mentioned they would love to have an IG job being a beauty blogger, but I want to set something straight, IMO, INSTAGRAM IS NOT A CAREER. A lot of people think it's a glamorous life receiving product & attending parties (aka feeling important), but this is not the case. It's hours upon hours of sitting in front of the mirror, criticizing your own makeup skills or facial features in order to fit a certain mold that IG highlights. Yes, a few people have it made very far and built their own career. However, the majority are not like this despite portraying this lifestyle. I have learned there's a lot of mental health struggles because sitting at home taking pics of yourself is not a healthy habit. Never in my life had I criticized the shape of my eyelids & even considered surgically altering them until IG - some makeup looks just don't show up very well because the shape of my lids. If you're thinking of makeup blogging, keep it as hobby so that it doesn't consume you. If I didn't have my real job to keep me grounded in reality I would be a very miserable person. Let's be honest, IG can make you feel like crap because you're constantly comparing yourself with "socially defined perfect" people. You were born with the body you have through no choice of your own. Some bodies fit society's idea of "perfect", but that's not in your control. What is in your control is what you choose to do with the cards you're dealt. I try to make a difference by helping others via healthcare. Life is so much more than Instagram.
BE THE CHANGE
In life it's very difficult to be true to yourself, you're faced with so many opportunities to cave in and do what's easier even though it's not what's in your heart. I myself have gone through many challenges and trying times because I would not let something "slide". I always felt that I was standing up for myself and for those who would likely face the same situation if I did nothing. I stand here today with the message that you can most definitely make a difference. It's often not the easier path, but I can attest that it's worth it. Be that bit of change you so desperately wish someone was for you, choose the left path even if there's a few more bumps along the way.
CONNECT WITH YASAMAN