Lizzie Velasquez

“Everyone knows life throws you curve balls, in my case it's like life throws me giant boulders.”

“My biggest piece of advice when it comes to bullying is to have an open communication about it.”

“No matter what we look like or what size we are, at the end of the day we are all human.”

“Whether it's your personal life, your work life, your school life, your confidence, everything will fit once you believe in yourself.”

“I am very determined but I also have a tendency to be very stubborn. If I'm ever told I can't do something I put my mind to or that I won't be able to accomplish, I automatically think of it is a dare that I won't do it and it makes me that much more determined to get it accomplished.”

“Honestly, I had no idea I was different from other kids until I started kindergarten. To my family, I was just Lizzie.”

“One thing I did was to create a Love Yourself List. I wrote down everything I like about myself, and put it on my bathroom mirror. Then I read it until I believed it. Any time I compared myself to others, and felt negative about myself, I'd go back to that list.”

“You are the biggest influencer in your life.”

“I experienced bullying as early as the first day of kindergarten and there were times where I wish could escape out of my body.”

“But after the TED talk went viral, I called Sara Hirsh Bordo, who had produced TEDxAustinWomen, to ask her advice. She told me she'd like to do a documentary, and that we should work together on anti-bullying efforts.”

“Beyond scheduling regular checkups with my cardiologist, there is no way to know if or when my heart condition might become critical.”

“Having to look a certain way, or be a certain weight, comes from magazines, movies, the media.”

“I told myself that I wanted to be a motivational speaker, I wanted to write a book, graduate college, have my own family, and have my own career.”

“People have asked me if I had a miracle or a chance to change the way I look, I honestly know I would never do that.”

“I feel I'm really glad I don't look like the celebrities out there who are beautiful, because there are a lot of stereotypes attached to that.”

“I was actually so small that my baby clothes were actually doll clothes from Toys 'R' Us because that's all that would fit me!”

“I credit a lot of learning to love myself to my faith, my family and my friends. Everyone needs someone you can look to for constant support, who you never have to impress, to share your happy and sad days.”

“I have a passion for helping others and making a difference in the world. I take life one day at a time and make the best of it every chance that I get.”

“My original plan was to graduate high school and major in computer engineering at college. That went out the window, and I said, 'I have to do something with speaking.'”

“When I was a teenager I would look in the mirror and wish I could wash away my syndrome. I hated it because it caused so much pain in my life.”