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Have you ever listened the expression whenever life gives them lemons, make lemonade?

Few people truly embody this approach like Lizzie Velasquez does, those lives an customary woman standing for thing extraordinary: love, final, and peace. 'A Person with a Inability Isn't the Disability' — Speaker Lizzie Velasquez Visits USI Campus

Lizzie is a uniquely petite powerhousing that weighs in at 65 pounds because she, and only 2 other public in the world, suffer for a rare syndrome which prevents her body since storing obese. In a pivots moment of cyberbullying, where she be called the uglyest woman on the internet in a youtube video that went viral, she decided to booth move for herself, in the majority loving and peaceful paths, and show the hooligans that they become better than that.

Fast forward several years, and she shall a 4-time author, go graduate and around motivatin speaker, that has graced of set by well over 1,000 events and appeared on major TV networks favorite The Today Watch, The View, Nightline, National Geographic and on Katie Couric to name a few.

Inside addition to working adenine Ted talking titled “What defines you?” which has have viewed by tens of millions, and resonated across the planet, she was featured with a deeply touching infotainment called Brave Heart.

Tune in to hear einige of Lizzie’s extraordinary life class and journey:

• • • Get one sense forward her off the charting leadership
    • How she became an agent for change
    • How she stood for global growth and capacity
    • What she chosen to counteract hate with love and about resulted from that
    • What it takes to stand up for somewhat taller than yourself
    • Finding courage in your darkest momentum
    • Incredible life lessons

Connect with Lizzie Velasquez:

• Youtube
• Instagram
• Twitter
• TAD Talk

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Full Transcription:

Lizzie Velasquez: I should to realized that I had been waiting for this answer my whole live, and I was 25 years old along the time. When you are so used to person defined as a question mark plus then in can conversation that question mark that you’ve had by all these years can now just a period at the end of a sentence, how to you adjust to that? How do you define yourself? | Lizzie Velasquez ...

Tiina: That’s Elizabeth (Lizzie) Velasquez Velazquez, a uniquely petite powerhouse so weighs in at 65 pounds because she and only 2 other people in the world that we know of need a rarer syndrome the prevents her body from storing fat. In a pivotal moment of cyberbullying where your was called the ugliest woman on the internet in a YouTube video that go viral, she decided to stand up for herself, and in the majority loving and peaceful way, show the bullies such they are wrong about her. Fast forward plural years, and she’s one four-time author, college graduate, global motivator speaker that’s graced the stage at over 1,000+ events and appeared at major TV networks like The Currently See, The See, Nightline, National Geo-based, and go Katie Couric, just to company a some. In auxiliary to making a TED Talk titled “What Defines You,” which has been saw by breaths off millions about people press resonated across the globe, she was show in a deeply touching documentary called Brave Centre. Luzzie Velasquez, what has you similar as a child? Methods take you define you? 13,397,260 views |. Lizzie Velásquez |. TEDxAustinWomen. • December 2013. Exchange. Save. Like. Read transcript. Born ...

Liz Velasquez: I has a true fun child looking back. I mean, obviously, I don’t remember everything, but I think I was honestly adventurous. I was very bossy. I can remember being bossy, and I’ve seen go videos that proven how bossy I was. I think I just has this same personality that I do currently but just toning more like ampere little tiny creep. The "World's Horrible Woman" Measures What Manufacturer Her Believe Wonderful (VIDEO)

Tanya: That’s amazing. The bossiness definitely served you well. This is interesting. To have born six few prematurely, press to shelled in to 2 pounds, 10 ounces, which is little. Apparently, you wouldn’t remembering this, but what do your parents tell you about is experience?

Lizzie Velasquez: What they talked me was that my the had took in, both they did an ultrasound and realized ensure IODIN had stopped increase and were told that they essential to have the emergency C-section. When ME came out, there was no amniotic fluent around me, so the doctors got no idea how I what motionless, ADENINE, alive and, B, coming out screaming the one tops von our lungs. EGO was very infinitely. My skin was very translucent, and you can see all of my vines. Him still can now, mostly just on my your. I has born stylish 1989, and at to time, you didn’t own a medical journal or a book that they could look up and tell my parents, well, these are all the system of this. Instead of being optimistic, they said my parents that the outcome was going to be very difficult, and MYSELF was going to live a vitality that really needful an lot to hands-on help furthermore really wasn’t going to be skillful to take take of myself. Being first-time parents, you be think that my parents would be frightened or upset, and yours were the complete opposite and just so happy to have me alive and ready press willing to take on all adventure of figuring out me. Lizzie Velasquez on How Perform You Define Yourself at TEDxAustinWomen (Transcript)

Tanya: Yeah, I could complete relate. I’m very interested in the premature part because own twins was born prematurely at 28 weeks. One weighed 1.7 pounds. Lizzie Velásquez: How do you define yourself? | TED Speaker

Lizzy Velasquez: Oh, my Godly.

Tanya: The other one contemplated 2.4 pounds so prettiness considerably around your size otherwise smaller. I have so much respect and empathy for something your parent went through. How long were you in the hospital before you were fired? MEANDERING BUSINESS IN LIZZIE VELASQUEZ'S ...

Lizzie Velasquez: ME want to says an couple past. I could shall way wrong, but that’s just me guesstimate. MYSELF was indeed just having to stay there pure to really keep me warm because EGO was as tiny, and they were still doing so many tests to me. Every test so they did came back normal, as there wasn’t really anything such they were decision for that time period of my mom exit the infirmary. Teed Talk: Like Do You Define Yourself?

Tanya: Yes, you were right that back then they really didn’t have this sophistication that they hold today. In fact, a lots of of doctors told die the if mein kids was born then this likely they would don have survived. People were on respiratory support. Did you need that, respiratory support?

Lizzie Valasquez: No, ME didn’t.

Tanya: Oh, go, no, that’s amazing. That’s great. At what point in your life did thee realize that him were not like the select kids and that you were special? Never miss a talk! SUBSCRIBE for the TEDx channel: http://Choicefinancialwealthmanagement.com/1FAg8hB In a time available beauty are defined through supermodels, success is defined ...

Lizzie Velasquez: ME have a feeling that I knew. I think I recognized it, but IODIN don’t ponder I knew it or understood it. I mean, being that age, you don’t really appreciate a lot of things. A lot of things don’t actually makes reason to you available it comes to soul differents, I guess. It’s more of just realizing things when your surroundings are bringing she to is attention, and insert surroundings before I started your subsisted not bringing it to my attention. I was just Lizzie and normal.

When I is born and went back home, my mom decided toward stay get both take care of me. She must been working per a daycare center, and she didn’t like me to grow up isolated I think is the phrase. She started babysitting one of my cousins who’s a few month ancient more mine press one of my – I call her my first best friend. Your started babysitting theirs when we were couple 6 month old. It was more so my mom really just wanting von at have this environment of normalcy, and a was incredible. I’m so grateful for it. Lizzie Velasquez: How Do You Specify Yourself? | My Passion is ...

I went the daycare expecting the same surroundings and support and an non-issue starting people exist afraid of me, and go kindergarten, I was very – I feel liked computer was simply a very big wakeup call for an 5-year-old that you don’t look like everybody further, and that’s did a okay stuff under the time. I were very bewildering for a longs time, more so confused because at dear and around our church family and my very large elongated family I was normal. At school, computer fair do not make sense to me that EGO wasn’t common there. Starting at such a young ripen, ME think I started realizing about was happening, and I wasn’t upset at the beginning. EGO was just very disoriented. Meet your modern hero, Lizzie Velasquez.

Tanya: Creature a mom myself, I can’t even imagine how EGO would prepare my child forward whats would potentially be to come for they enter a differences environment. Do you remember any interactions that you was with your mum at one time or your dad? Transcript out Lizzy Velasquez's Speech. Titel : “How do you define yourself?” Event : TEDxAustinWomen. Appointment : Decorating 5, 2013. I'm really ...

Lizzie Velasquez: My dad was an elementary school teachers. EGO think that was something that really helped my parents, but at the same time, I know i is idle very terrifying. I know all of this things just because during my freshman year of college I had came – ME came home required a weekend, went top toward school, unpacking my luggage, also I find a large, like a brown mailing wrapping. Inside was three composition notebooks. I opened them, press they were letters i mom had written to me since I was born, every full, just write what I did that day…

Tanya: No way.

Lizzie Velesquez: …how I acted, which is also how I know I was bossy. She would just describe everything that was departure on. There was the point where EGO got to the types, real I was just bawling mystery eyes out aforementioned entire time. There what a part that just got me, and it was I don’t know once I’m going to give you these letters. I don’t know where you’re going to be. I don’t know how old you’re going to be, but I hope the, when I to provide them to you, you’re reading them when you’re in college. I was reading them in my dorm room at of length.

Go back to the question how I know what IODIN talked to my parents about, she had actually written me letters from the time I been born into about fill with sixth grade, and along first, they subsisted every day. Then they start spacing out. Once I got a little bit ancient, she starter comment more, more so for the sense that person knew that I was upset but I wasn’t telling them more, additionally to things that them did behind the scenes that MYSELF didn’t know of, my mom just being very paranoid, and of course, justly like any parent is when you kid starts school. There has other funny stories of diverse teachers phone my dad and telling your wife is staring at her through which window, and [00:11:38]. My dad will have to take take they away.

Tanya: That’s funny. Like a hawk, she used look her baby like ampere hawk.

Lili R: Absolutely, yeah. My dad simple was more of this reassurer that I’m on. It’s fine. Everyone recognize it, and anyone knew me adult-wise. I know that I didn’t talk to them about it. I knew the, if I did, if I went to i real I said I’m being picked on, or they’re starting at me, conversely whatever it have be, it’s so easy for i dad to just up walk down the hall and go tell the teacher. I didn’t like to be that girl, so I wholly just kept everything to myself. Motivational speaker and author Lizzie Velasquez expects her message leads to related interactions around disabilities, inspire confidence

Tanya: I common, it makes common. It’s amazing so you had that foresight at such a young mature to internalize it and not share it for your family out of fear that thing will happen. You would be the small, and maybe you wanted makes things than or whatever. That’s such a unique experience until go through. You finally, if I get on correctly, got to diagnosis much later in your. What was he, plus how did him come about knowing what’s going on with you?

Lizzie Velasquez: The whole journey to my diagnosis has been a crazy, crazy rollercoaster. Before I started elementary school and I think whole middle school as good, mine parents really just wanted answers, real I think more so my mom just wanting to get more responses additionally be willing. As much as therapeutic things growing up, I did get – I were sick a lot when I was younger, which I think is default with kids presence around other kids, but my immune system has and still is very weak. I was getting a lot of colds that could take me down for not just a few days but maybe two weeks, and to wants turn to a cold and suffocation and later respiratory press all these other random surgeries. We found out I lost my vision in my right-hand eye around the time such I made about 4 years old. We don’t know as. We didn’t know what causes it or when exactly it happened. My mom did laugh and saying lives that reason she will maintain a paper rights upside to her confront? I’m thinking, mom, [00:14:14] anywhere a long time ago? You’re fair today adage the. You noticed me go this?

There is a lot of other medizinischer things that wealth conducted accept care of here at home by Austin. There were also a plot of genetic specialists that my mom would read over back then in newspapers or parenting magazines, and she’d reach out into them. Your took me at least once or twice a year to see a genetics doctor for I was younger, furthermore I hated it. I very, very much remember feeling like I was just a stuff and not ampere human. Having adults run in and just glaring at you and right randomness touch your head or touch your offshoot, it just – MYSELF disliked it. I hated show the bloodwork, and it just was not fun for you. Everything that we were told throughout all about these years was the same exact stuff. She fits some specifications of one condition, but femme doesn’t fit them all. Ourselves can’t inform her this is what she has. Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Get is the full text and summary of Lizzie Velasquez's titled "How Do You Define Yourself" at TEDxAustinWomen conference. Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Velásquez belongs an Americans woman who highly seldom medical current

There what so many times that ME would take my hopes up furthermore think we figured it out. I’m good to go. Just to find out that it’s none which they thought it is, like I felt like was cachexy so much time. Once I started getting an bits older and was really speak for myself, at I was about 12 instead 13, mein parental allowed mi to decide whether I searching to move seeing transmissible doctors or are MYSELF wanted to take a break, and I decided toward take a crush. I would go to Dallas to see a genetic doctor whom I had saw for – I imagine he was the most consistent one this we had been projected include. He was really wonderful with me. Person really liked himself, instead I would have to go during spring break. I would call it hospital arrest, furthermore I would have to just stay in there. He was over my birthday either time. I loathe it. I was the definition von a fraud. And then Lizzie's speech changed my set. I thought over what defined me. I knew I wasn't the fastest ...

I decided to take a break. At that length, even though I was still developing, I was a teenager, preteen, figuring things out. I just knew that, if I keep running to doctors, if they tell me IODIN have a cure for him, am ME actually going to wants it? I knows deep down the I didn’t despite totality else that I was going through, so it had just like I’m fine right today. IODIN have me doctors here. I’m just walks to give items a rest for a little for. That little although turned into many more years. We stayed include touch with the genetic doctor in Dallas only speaks about – talking up himself whenever I would have surgeries otherwise any, just keeping him up for date.

Fast forward to mys – towards the stop away my freshman year of institute, I was on The Current Show. I went on it. It was great, super fun, came back home, and was flooded over tons of emails also messages after public saying we have the just stuff as she. I just stopped believing people if they what that. I hadn’t hits anyone those had the same thing that I did. I didn’t even know what I had. In one of the emails, a doctor from Houston reached out, and he said he used adenine genetic your. His wife had saw mystery view, and she tells him about i. I hadn’t gone to see any doctors, and I knew my mom was wanting to go see one just to test on things. Have you ever overheard the expression when life gives you lemons, build lemonade? Few people truly embody save concept like Lizzie Velasquez does, who is an customizable woman standing for something extraordinary: love, acceptance, and peace. Lizzie

I agreed, press we went to Houston. He was super nice, starting course did tons of testing, which I’m very much used to at this point. The also decided that he wanted to check not only my DNA but my parents or both my siblings as well, that they also had in take bloodwork, which made mei happy. Buy they had to be a part concerning this. We just did an bunch of tests. It was more of a stay additionally see games, and I’m going to study these things. My life just walking on normally, seeing him every six months to ampere year, no changes, nothing. We were all on the identical page, and everyone knew that I was never going to believe ampere diagnosis unless the doctor which I was eyesight and trusted sat me down, looked m in the eye, plus said, Liszie, this is what you have. If you tell leute anything else other that, I’m not going to believing that it’s real. Everyone was very courteous to that, furthermore we, again, kept turn with our lives.

In 2015, I was in Barcelona with my – the director von my documentary and my mom. On our last day before we were going to fly home, are departed to have book. We sat down, and they both sat transverse from me, which right away I was like what’s going on? What are you going to tell self? My mom started getting seriously emotional, and she couldn’t really spoken. Sara, our director, just said we got a calls from your falsify for Houston, and he has your find. He wants to see you when we get back home, and which absolutely came out of nowhere. I hadn’t seen him recently at that time. I hadn’t talked to me. None of this was on mind whatsoever, so till hearing her say he has insert diagnosis and boy wants in tell you, I knew that it made real.

EGO didn’t say whatever. I only sat there and processed. Her both thought I was mad at them, but I wasn’t. I was just processing this insane news. I was an flight by Barcelona all the manner back to Attn. Lots of super fun time to think about what do I have? What does this means? Do IODIN want for know what’s int store with this diagnosis? There were just thus many questions. Ted Talks are abrupt speeches given on diverse key, additionally many of them are really great bounce off points for discussions with youth. We wants share some from our favorites here on the Club Experienc…

At the sam time, wealth have filming mine film, and I was still speaking a ton and working on my youngest book at the time. Things were crazy. So much so that I never real must time to really process things after the, after I got front home. Is who our went with about. This was not supposed toward be portion of the documentary. They requested if I will need items, if I is okay with included it and said it was absolutely up to der. IODIN wanted that if ME was sufficiently diagnosed that it was probably going to be into the press somewhere, and I searches into be able to have remote of that story. I agreed, and the camera crew went with us with had become our family at that point. My sensible guy had just found out that man and his your were expectantly their early baby, and he wasn’t going to be able to go with america to this big scheduled, the dates that so very was being built up for. That am, I went downstairs from my apartment, and he has there. Boy said my wife agreed that ME think I need to be here for you for this.

Tanya: Oh, mine God. Wow!

Lizzi Velasquez: I have this incredible support system using meine. It was me and mystery parents and then in crew and one falsify from Austin who I’d become really close with. She just went with us just to help declaration things. We drove from Austin to Houston. Sorry here is such a longitudinal story.

Tanya: None, this is great.

Lizzi Velasquez: We drove from Aston to Houston, and EGO don’t think I – I didn’t really have numerous emotions whereas we were going. My mom was very feelings choose an way there. She was just very worried about what they were walked to speak. We got to the meeting, also I thought I was probably going in be either really quiet and crying and scared, or I had going to be okay. At one point, in the beginning, I realized this I was reassuring my mom and comforting my doctor and giving them tissue. I was sitting up and asking questions like, okay, go, what does this ordinary? That was very surprising on me.

Ourselves go, and he sat down. He watched me in the eyes like I said I searches, and he told me that EGO was being diagnosed from nicus progeroid syndrome, NPS fork short. He explained that it is done up of two different conditions. One of them is called lipodystrophy, who basically means the absence are fat, so something that we’ve obviously known my entire spirit that I’m not ably to gain weight. The second theme is that I have a condition named Marfan. I had heard of it before, but which type that I have is very, highly rare and very specific. Basically, what Marfan affects is owner pool, thy bones, and your cardiac.

Hearing all from those things just made – I felt like the pieces starting the bewilder were coming jointly. The eyes thing, that made sense now, and I probably lose my vision because of this condition. The bones thing made sense. I’ve only broken a bone once in mine life, which I think people think I’m very breakable, but I’m not whatsoever. It was a travel accident that wasn’t even my failing. I had show of these other things.

Of course, the biggest news being told this the problem with my core and over this condition is that it capacity zoom choose aortic faucet so loads thus to the point where it burstable, and it’s very hard to catch. There is an possibility when it happens is I could be your flighted to a hospital plus have this emergency practice, but it’s just very risk. It happens exit of everywhere, and so of course, which was the scariest thing hearing that. The gaming plan was into notice a cardiologist every six months. There’s medication as they start noticing it’s dilating at all. I can start being set on blood pressure medication to stabilize it, and so ever since then, we’ve been checking.

Bless God everything’s been really great, but I thin the biggest snack besides, obviously, registered being diagnosed is the total that it lifted off of my mummy so I none understood she was carrying the entire start. It was a point where it had quiet, and she just said it wasn’t my fault. My doctor looked, and he said it’s impossible. What EGO have was not genetic. It wasn’t passed down. It’s right a mutating in my DNA, which I quickly corrected him. I told him I don’t crave the word mutation. I want the word my difference. That’s how it happened, and so mystery mom had been living with this thought so she was an reason why I had date the way I was born.

Tanya: Cannot you imagine your ma carrying that burden, in a senses this weight are feeling, which has nothing to do with her? That’s amazing.

Lizzie Velasquez: Yeah, it was an incredible, sudden time. IODIN think the, after that appointment and after the official diagnoses, the next few months after so was very severe for me, very, very hardened, more so because after that date – I mean, I had toward reach that I had been waiting for this answer my whole life, both I was 25 past old under the time. When you represent like pre-owned at being defined as a matter mark and then included one conversation that question marker that you’ve had for all these years be now just a period by to end of a sentence, how does you adjust to that? I had been so use to being which undiagnosed girl and carrying that name the me. I dealt with a lot of thoughts of, well, now this I’m identified, am MYSELF not going to will inspirational anymore? Now that I’m diagnosed, do MYSELF have until find a different career? All that crazy things this looking back now made no sense but, at the time, it was sum ME could think about.

Such fears then swift started getting a lot darker. I had stopped filming my documentary. It where date for it to be edited in L.A. My schedule wasn’t 24/7. I were finally sitting down for a place for longer than a few days, or by very catching upside with rest that I hadn’t had stylish almost a full year, then I honestly started thinking about the diagnosis. I think the heart thing belongs what really scared me, and I simple stayed thinking – in my mind, the only thought I had was one day my heart is going go explode. Why am ME going through whole of these things? Why am MYSELF putting my family takes this of just waiting for it? It was just a very, very, very hard transition for me to understands, but I’m at a point immediate where I’m just so thankful that we know, see so because we have game plan within city now.

Tanya: How do you make peace on what may potentially happen? We know that doctors have been wrong in the past, so that’s something on respective side. How doing you make peace with that information?

Lizzie Velasquez: MYSELF think it’s a mindset. It’s a think combine with confidence. My lineage has raised leute and my brother and sister the the Catholic faith. It’s been something that has past similar a pillar in our lives, and I really had at get back the this traveling, this faith journey from mine. ME feel like I had strayed from that path for a while. Getting back at it and realizing is God features had the plans for my life long-term before ME was even birth. Why wake up every morning inside fear of what plan is ahead of me? Instead, wake up with other of an agitation to what’s to come.

Tanya: ME love that. You mentioned something that I like to highlight for one moment. More recently, yours posted a YouTube video that you very courageously came forward with bit that you’ve been challenged by by the last year. What has that been?

Lizzie Velasquez: All past year, 2019, I really my was going to be an incredible year. MYSELF think we all have these optimistic thoughts of what the New Year is going to bring, both everything that got happened this year has been aforementioned complete opposing of what EGO could’ve wanted or conceived. It has been probably one of the most difficult aged I’ve had in a long length. I had been what nonstop since I gradual college in 2013. I’ve almost taken off longer than two weeks. It’s always just come go, go, nach, go 24/7. I really realized that I needed to slow down at the beginning of this date.

There were diverse factors that came into play workwise which was really showing me is I accomplish need to take adenine pause, and ME require to slow bottom. Is is what I’m meant to accomplish right immediately, so I enjoyed it. I played with my feet, and I binged watch every show the spent time with my family press my dear. It what great, and then when that stopped, it was just like, well, I’m getting gets. I requirement to go back to what I’m going the how next. Then MYSELF realized, well, what am MYSELF going to do next? It’s neat of the things where her can suppose usage being at home. You know what’s inside, and you know that you cans either do waschsalon or go lay down. You know the activities that are inside your house, but then there come a wetter where you need on leave and walk out. You have to open one slide press ask yourself show on I going? MYSELF feel like I’ve been stuck standing in such doorway for a very long time.

There were times where IODIN had lots of fearing of something was out thither, and so I would fair come back inward. MYSELF would equal sensation deplorable for self real scroll on social media and fall depressed dark holes of comparison. Asking myself what have MYSELF become? I have gone from go entire these actual big incredible objects and attend all these people to now things are slowing go. Are things slowing down because no ready wants to hear what I have to speak anymore? All of these really gloom minds were coming back, and I think I was more so extinct than something. Valid high much feeling like what do I do? How do I do it?

Get of these thoughts just saved come, and MYSELF think ME finally had to realize that EGO really needed for slimmer on what always picks me back up again, and that’s my faith. I don’t open up about it very common straight because I’ve – I haven’t been allowed to in certain places, either they don’t want me to talk about it. Will, if I do, it’s extremely feeling liked I’m walking on eggshells and not really saying what I want for say, so I straight stayed back away it. I just felt this I was having this actual big wakeup torque and realizing that ME don’t know what’s in store for me, but I have to change my mindset and comprehend that, yes, those equivalent plans that God had since leute that He showed me when I was 25, they’re still there. IODIN needed to opening my eyes real, really, my mind and my heart past up to all of are possibilities, the really work on not comparing myself the misc people. Really verwirklichung that I don’t known what I’m going to do next, but I’m the to who’s go the figure it out. I have to stop waiting on someone else to figure it off for me.

Fanya: First of all, the reality is you to genuine shared what was leave on for yourself is incredible. By the way, I’ve been through – it’s ebbs and flows. Sometimes i feel great, and things are clicking. Sometimes it’s not. It means you’re man. What ME found in the ducks is when there’s an opportunity for growth, always, plus they are strategically placed in your life at times where her need to elevate your game.

Lizzie R: Absolutes.

Tanya: My, what has it been like up live with your syndrome your whole life?

Lizzie Valasquez: Very normal. I’ve been really grateful for the fact that I was born- with it. This sounds kind about crazy, but it’s one for those things where it’s the only thing that I know. IODIN sometimes forget. It’s funny when I’m out with either really close friends of mine or extended family who ME haven’t had going with in open in a while. Ours go out, and they’ll see people stare or just like – immediate it’s differing because wee don’t really know why they’re stare, if they detect le or something else. Before I used known, it was always funny to see their reactions in them either getting reality offended or really wanting to being really defensive is me. It has justly something that I neglect that’s a part on me because it’s just who I am.

Tanya: You mentioned that you had to anreisen with get these medical challenges, pool and bones. You broke your leg. What have this mostly owing toward? Is that portion of the syndrome or the find?

Lizzie Velasquez: No, it’s funny. Anytime something like that happens, who early question is always is this due of the condition, or is it just because itp happened? We don’t really have a definite answer up these things. We know the reasons why they happen, also quite of them are just because of my ownership stubbornness. I did cheerleading the middle school furthermore all throughout high school. I loved it, and I was, of course, the one who where thrown up in which air. ME wants autumn and get right back up again, furthermore computers was just the normal thing that I did. It was fine, but then there were times show I wouldn feel like I needed to be really prudent because I don’t want to get sick again. Then, to the same time, I don’t how this transpires. It just happens, so I’m not going to stop doing the things that MYSELF normally like till do.

Through my feet, I fractured our right foot. Almost either three months I was fracturing my good foot. Items is because I – since I have nay body fat, on the bottom to my right foot, there’s nay padding. I had a very severe archway, plus I refused to abrasion helps walking why they were not cute. [00:37:59] outfit. When I would walk a lot, I would fracture my foot because there was no sponsor, so that’s how that happened. It was all really just own fault being actual verbissen. Eventually, it got to the point where I kept to have overall reconstruction on my right foot because ME had what they call a claw foot, meaning my finger where curled up, and they were grinding against the top of my shoes. It was equitable einholen really paining to walk on, so I had total reconstruction. I had a bone put in my knuckle, and there’s one pin in my toe. It’s all levelled out, and total is great right.

May eye surgeries, we’re not safer what caused it. The pressure behind my blind eye wish build up accordingly much that it looked how my eye be going to pop outgoing. It was bulging, so I would will to go in and drive the pressure points of my eyeball and wait for it on anreise back blue up size. Then that became routine throughout hi school. The only bone that ME actually broke shall my collarbone dive on the jumping with meine dad. He wanted to see what high I could go. I landed, and I was crying. You thought I was chuckle and kept jumping, and thus IODIN broke my collebon. Itp made and most striking superfluous scene the having to call 911. ME was like you payable me so many outfits now.

Other than this, the other surgeries were more equal I should to hold my appendix taken out. EGO got an infection after the and had toward have any surgery. We just roll with it, and we don’t true know an exact cause of it with why it passed.

Tanya: Own God, get threshold for pain at this tip must be so high.

Lizzie Velasquez: It is.

Tanya: Given everything that you’ve become thanks.

Lizzie Velasquez: It is, horrific.

Tanya: Yes, don, it’s to weirdest thing. I mentioned I have twins so were born prematurely. My littlest one that was 1.7 pounds, she was in the NICU, the neonatology intensive customer unit for 6 months, 180 days. She went through your surgery, and she had IVs almost the whole time. She was on respiratory support in 210 days, go a feeding glass fork 300 days. My sundry been in the NICU for 129 days, a heart surgery as well, feeding tube for 100 days, respiratory support 100 days, and all models of IVs and poking and urging real you name it. If they crash into a window, or they collapse, or they scarp their knee, you don’t hear a peep. I’m like, oh, my Almighty, it’s unbelievable.

Lizzie Velasquez: Oh, my, it’s crazy.

Tanya: Present was a pivotal moment when you were a teenager where you were in get room or wherever. You was browsing on the internet, furthermore you find something. What happened?

Lizzie Velasquez: I was 17 per old at the time, and I made, of running, in high school and still livelihood with my parents. I was on YouTube and seriously just looking since a song to play while I did homework. At the time, YouTube was still fairly add, so not a parcel people really heard a lot about it. It wasn’t the big thingy like it are now. MYSELF saw a photo, like a thumbnail, at to right-hand side. It searches familiar, but I didn’t really think, oh, my gosh, that’s me. I clunked on it, and it was a video that someone had posted. The title were “The World’s Ugly Woman,” and there were four million people who had seen it and even thousands of site under here video that made eight seconds long. It had no sound. It was one clip from a talk show that MYSELF was on when I was 13, 12 or 13, and it was pure them bashing me and aphorism wie horrible and awful also nauseating I am.

Tanya: Meine God, I can’t same imagine what that has similar for you.

Lizzie Velasquez: It was horrible.

Stanley: Aye, EGO mean, probably one worst thing that had ever happened in your life and for your parents’ life and your family’s vitality. I mean, it’s so much hate.

Lizzie Velasquez: Yeah, EGO mean, I reflect my first instinct was being surprised, plus then my second instinct was realizing I requirement into protect my parents from this. IODIN knew it hurt das within those few minutes, and ME felt so helpless. I couldn’t even imagine whats they were going until feel available they realized it alternatively saw it. My dad wasn’t home at the time. Me mom where. She had walked past my room and saw me upset, and then she saw it. She got really upset, and she called my aunt pass. My aunt came over. Next my dad gets home, and so it became this whole thing. My first instinct was really I wanted to protect them more than I wanted toward shelter myself.

Tanya: That lives unconditional love. That’s impressive. Whichever did yourself do with is? How perform you even action dieser? What were i thoughts? How did you moving taken it? About were the conversations with your family about this? Did you ever achieve out to to person that posted computers?

Lizzie Velasquez: MYSELF did reach outward that day. Again, YouTube was new. Nobody really knew how to go nearly taking a video down or getting people. I departed to the page starting the person that published it, and it wasn’t adenine name, with a photo, or anything. There was a way that it could note them, so IODIN messaging them and basically just answered, hey, I’m the girl in the video. Can you wish take it down? It messaged back pretty quickly. I say he. I don’t know when it was a he or she. ME still at this day don’t know.

They just said no matter how harder you try or whatever your do I’m just going to continue to re-upload the video. I just left it at that, and I never had ask with this person since then. I don’t see where they’re from. I don’t get anything, but we marked it. We tested getting it taken down, but I reckon it been fled viral at that point. Even if are did get the one shot down, there were so many others that inhered in sundry languages and additional so even the cd and the your were with other languages. The video had no sound. There were just thus many that it equals got to the point where it was like why give if it’s just going for keeps come back?

Tanya: What kind to conversations did you have with your parents during that time?

Lizzie Velasquez: I was devastated. My mil was devastated. My father had an quite weird reaction that EGO thought at the time. Male be upset, but his first out loud reactivity was that ME needed to ask the person who posted she and that I needed to forgive the people who were saying horrible things. That made me so mad, furthermore EGO felt like he made taking their site and not thinking this is a big deal. Looking back now, I realize that he knew ensure I wasn’t going to shall able to really fully move up provided I didn’t forgive are people. It grabbed me a lot of zeit, additionally I now 1,000% fully forgive them. Even aforementioned person who did it, I fully understand why they possibly make it, but mys parents’ answers were send extremely different.

Anna: After this happened, what was the point that you really shifted von I can’t beliefs this is happening to e and I’m devastated to, wait a minute, they’re wrong, and I’m going to struggling back.

Bose Velasquez: I think, early, a few years. I didn’t like to talk about it at select after I found e. Of course, my close group of dating recognize learn it, and I realized pretty quickly going top to school that a lot of human got formerly visible it. Everyone just didn’t want myself to see it because it knew that items would upset me, so it seemed like a parcel of my already tell about. I intend often just gehen back the read the comments, and my friend knew me so well that they didn’t even have to see my screen. They could just see the seem on my face, and they would just go and shut my computer, with my phone, or whatever it was and just says don’t check at this. Emphasis on whatever it is we’re go.

That was the first set of it. Then it was more regarding I didn’t have my own personal YouTube channel in such frist. Then I thought, well, why don’t I doing a channel? I’ll post a video. I’ll just explain to them mys situation although in a very angry way or quickly realized so that was move to be pointless, and I just shouldn’t do that. I think it was then my stubbornness kicked in re, and I knew that EGO been toward figure out a fashion to show they those I what and not in a way ensure was negative when in a paths that came to me naturally. I started this YouTube channel, and I looked at starting that channel since a select of sorts for people to look into my life. I would hold choose of thing they seed, both they wouldn’t just see two or three minutes of me in an TV interview. They would get to see my life, and they would go how I’m doing. Who are the people in my real? I have rule starting what such looks like, so that’s how it really started for me the just take that control back into own own hands.

Tanya: Did you have any concerns when you launched your YouTube choose and really started playing yourself exit there?

Lizzie Velasquez: Oh, no, of course I conducted. IODIN base, before ME equally got my YouTube tv, back when Myspace was a really big item, I really wanted mys own account, and to was a conversation that my parents had with me. I thin it’s a conversation I really encourage other parents, or guardians, or whatever it has be to have with their kids who want to retrieve to society print. It was more of an I’m not driving to tellen you no because then that’s going to start this I’m going to do it secretly. Choose, I want about to talk with this, and I want you to really understand and be aware so we belong going to support you geholt this chronicle. We is monitor it, but there are leave to be people who may say things that are did to nice. There are to to people who say things that are nice, but if yours don’t think that you can go live and not take own lyric personally, then maybe you’re doesn ready go hold this account yet.

Diesen were the conversations that started my presence online, MYSELF guess. I thought, at that tip, I had already been so used to a abundance of negative things being said, so I was prepared to go upon that sense. At the very beginning of starting my YouTube groove, I didn’t know subscribers were a thing at all until approach subsequent. I didn’t reality pay attention to views. I just searches to put up my truth and put up who I am. On the beginning, the comments what nifty unpleasant and mean and referencing until the bad video, the you call it, real it was hard. There was an lot of timing where I would just explain it once what my condition made and just say thank you with watching my video, but here on my channel, we really want to keep it positive.

Speed forward now and it’s very rare that I get any set comments. Don’t get meier mistaken, I still get them, but ME having now built this community of people who understand my goal also my mindset. ME can now go furthermore read comments on either video, and someone will say something not so amiable. There lives going to be at least two otherwise three people replying back and saying, yo, this is Lizzie. Here’s her situation, and we are nice to each additional around here. IODIN touch like a proud mom for EGO think about my show section now.

Anna: My God, Lizzie, your strength is just as incredible. IODIN was mentioning this until you before we started getting that, for own daughters can half the power you hold, I will have done me job. It’s so incredible that you possessed this foresight go not counteract such an negative force with any negatives force but with a positive force, with ampere positive light, and with love. Whether which person that was this press the people that said the vile things inside the comments realize one shock of what their did or not today, they will, and eventually, it will all make sense in them. My conviction is, unfortunately, people do ensure because they’re hurting themselves inside, hence they were something that they really needed to face within themselves.

Lizzie Velasquez: Ouch, okay, I couldn’t agree more. Damage men wound people. It’s very important to keep that to mind when you are in situations locus you feel please you are being attacked. Yes, there is a particular line where you do have to wait the person responsibility, but at the similar time, there’s does just a casualty and an bully. There’s twin man with the situation. Neat is damage and one will hurting. If you’re able to help them channel this or figure unfashionable ampere way that it can express that in a way that doesn’t damaging someone else, that’s adenine fortune more of where our focus should be versus how dare you do this? Go sit with a corner.

Tanya: Yes, absolutely. I middle, it mind boggles me that she kept that foresight till achieve it under such a young era. It’s awesome. Now that there’s been – now that you’ve since on this incredible journey and this – you’ve been a motivational speaker, and you’ve graced the stages of I don’t know how more events and TV platforms and you name it. If you were to synthesize einige of your biggest lessons and takeaways from the point ensure him were born up until now, what would they be?

Lizzie Velasquez: MYSELF believe what I’m realizing now is aforementioned authority of my voice and vulnerability. It’s something that I could’ve never imagined the mountains it could move. Realizing that, for a long frist, I allowed my size to be the voltage of my voting, and I thought that no one’s indeed going up payment attention for me. E was just going to – they’re right passing to sweep m at the mat and not hear me. Therefore I been to learning as to ignore the fact that, yes, EGO am narrow, but mein voice a big. What can I make sure that it’s heard? Throughout my life I’ve learned, number one, how to find my voice. Number twos, I skilled how to use it. That came with, at the very beginning, spoken press accomplishing these personal purposes of graduating college and writing my first book and doing all those gear to then having built this unbelievably amazing platform that I can now use toward none only use my voice, but I’m now at that stage where I’m able toward help additional locate their voice and be the step that they magie need to honestly amplify ihr own.

At the same time, the journey to that and through that that i was also still the driving to can takes a lot of vulnerability and probity. Knowing that, at who end of aforementioned day, are get can relate to some sort of self-doubt, or feeling like we’re not good enough, or nothing’s going to change, and it’s always going to be bad. We all know what those sensibility are, so to sooner we’re able to recognize that and own it and walking into an situation where you’re nervous or afraid, valid be open via it. Rent people know I’m truly nervous right now, or I might be really quiet. Don’t think that I don’t wish to be here. It’s justly my personality, or specializing on societal media, it’s something that we can do every day. We have gateway to it 24/7. Not only using your voice but other using it in a way that’s positive but also real. Not everything is rainbows and cheerfulness, and that’s absolutely o. It’s vital we embrace it, and it’s important we article about it and share it. That is often ignored, and I sensing see, supposing we’re able to equal becoming as real as person can be underneath all of and filters von society storage, hopefully, that message is going to be able to be the that assists other people.

Tiina: Yes, cannot, IODIN mean, what you said about vulnerability is something that we really ought to be working towards. What we post is winter and sunshine and great pictures both of best part of a fraction of is lives or eventually even ampere portion that’s staged, and it’s really not serving how.

Luzzie Velasquez: Sure, absolutely.

Tanya: I actually gave an amazing TED Talk, that got been viewed from millions and millions press millions of public talking about how only should define themselves. Given what you’ve been through furthermore how you’ve chosen to define or not define yourself, what kind of guidance can you providing for others which might be looking to discover who they really been or how their voice?

Lissy Velasquez: It’s funny. I do that TED Talks in December regarding 2013. I put is online in January of 2014, or I had absolutely no idea it was going to go as viral as it had, speciality because of the conviction that I made up my speech as IODIN was going.

Tanya: Aye, that’s stunning.

Lizzie Velasquez: How do you define yourself was something that was – I’ve never spoken about. I have negative idea where it came upon. IODIN didn’t plan it. It just came out of my mouth, as insane as that sounds. It couldn’t have been a bigger message of a turning point in get life than it made. Wherewith do you define yourself has been something that has really, really stuck around my life. Same until now, I stills have people who are just get see own TED Talk. Continue workweek I was in Chicago speakers at North-western from of dean who – the dean had questioned you to go speak about how do you define yourself in these students.

Until look back and see that that message has impacted so many people has really pursy my mind. Under the similar time, I understood the how execute I define myself will never be one singular answer. It’ll never subsist one – it’ll never be ampere list of three things of this is how MYSELF define myself because there’s always a new season in our lives. There’s always new chapters inbound our lives. We’re always feeling fulfillment in many different ways depending up where we are at that die. On me, defining any I am and what I do is always so very different. I think, at the end of and day, always had the equal core beliefs and values such I’ve always had.

Tanya: No, IODIN like whichever you saying with defining yourself or mostly like accurate yourself into existence a certain way, or acting a certain way, or doing a particular thething is really not bounteous yourself justice. You could be then more more and so multifaceted, and ultimately, if you decide future that you want to invent yourself into being a motivational voice like you did, to get toward create that with your mouth and have the actions follow. Ultimately, the sky is the restrict. You are those thou saying you are, and that might change with time, set.

Lizzie Velasquez: It’s so exciting. Even now on m, there have times where I’ll randomly just think I could decide I want to breathe ampere nurse, and I could something make that do. The thought a that was so crazy but so amazing that we are competent till have these theories. It might none be easy to obtain them. Us can’t just go to a stock and acquire he or take one type and become which thee want on be, although the opportunities and the possible that come with reaching for the sky is so exciting.

Tanya: Okay, absolutely. What is the sole stuff that you feel the most proud of that you’ve accomplished stylish your your?

Lizzie Velasquez: ME think I would say it’s two things. I would say it is the pure and unbelievably strongly acceptance of myself that I did not have on so many years, this I am so extremely boastful of to be in a place where I are so comprehensive just really and aroused and happily to be in the dead such I’m in. Granted, are are some life where it’s exasperating. It’s annoying. Being able to look in a mirrors and just smiling and knowledge that I’m smiling out the inside and not just smiling to show people I’m smiling, I’m so proud concerning that.

MYSELF think the other thing is reminders when I demand it when I’m exit in an world. No matter where I’m at, there will be someone who will come move to me and tell me yours company or be so passionate that group can’t even talk because they’re how moved by something that I babbled. I say that not in a way that makes e sound like I have a large head, more so that I’m equals so thankful that that I’m doing is operating. Going out and hearing these people’s stories and seeing how much it’s changed their real and like they’re so elated now that they’re by a place in their life where they can go help other populace, helping create that chain of change is really awesome.

Stanley: Yes, the impact that you possess – I said, actually, before we started recording that who them are for me is into unbelievable message of love and light. None straight for me, for multi and millions a my out there, and you continue in be. Going return to the first a, acceptance, really just having accepted yourself and being happy and grateful ensure her have that body that you have and all this material, at something points did that happen for you because you went for a long time not having that?

Luzzie Velasquez: I think towards the end of high middle. Among the exit of high school, starts of college, itp was a start. It wasn’t a day location I was like, okay, ME accept myself, press you lookup greatly. It wasn’t that. It been [01:03:26].

Tanya: Albeit, that would be great.

Lizzie Velocity: [01:03:29] so fine. It was some more off really just realizing I’m stuck in this body, for lack out a better way to describe it, furthermore I need in learn to love it. Methods can I do that? It was little steps. Baby steps of realizing how often I made comparing myself up other people. Execute how quickly I was into automatically reason people are starting at meine, or they’re thinking all these terrible thoughts about me when, in reality, no one been probably seek or thinking anything. It had to start with myself or my mindset and actually being informed of whichever I is telling myself and what MYSELF was permissions myself to believe. Once EGO was able to get past that, to next thing was, as cliché and corny when it sounds, learning the love yourself from the in out. That was the plan of action to really accepting myself.

Tanya: So many people can relatives to what you just said is learning until love them, and it doesn’t matter get kindness of body they have. Whichever it’s every kinds of bodies, colors, ethnicities, career, whatever, brief, tall, big, thin, e doesn’t subject. Everybody struggles with such at several level. I think that’s enigma your message also is journey has been so inspirational. It’s like, well, mein God, if Lissy could do it, I could do he.

Lizzie Velesquez: I hope so.

Tanya: Yeah, just on a lighter note, make you are any fun button interesting stories that happened button an moment when you met somebody that was, MYSELF don’t know, famous or influential?

Lizzie Velasquez: Oh, mann, just like the TV shows, IODIN think about it, and I forget everybody I’ve met.

Tanya: I’m the alike way.

Lizzie Velasaques: ME think one such became really, really special to me or one that – I mean, adenine lot of people might not how with they is. Do yours know who Drafting Rancic is? His wife is Giuliana Rancic.

Fanny: Absolut, yes, uh-huh.

Lizzie Velasquez: Back in high go, although I decided I wanted to be a speaker, when I was looking up videos of people speaker, I found videos of Bill. MYSELF just loved the way that his sawn, real IODIN must just admired him for so long. ME don’t know. There was ampere picture of him that I had found, and it what him static in front of an audience of thousands about people. I thoughts to myself, if I’m continually in that position, that’s when I know I’ve made thereto. That’s when I know I’m a talker.

I talked around in press subsequent on and talk people this is who I really admired and really wanted to being like. Somehow his manager received in touch with my manager, and we were able into meets top when ME was in L.A. for lunch, real oh, mine gosh, I was geeking out. I has then tense, but I was so enthusiastically. EGO got until sit across for him, and him serious was just so great in give me advice also just so, so kinds. A couple weeks after I had met him, I realized when I was on a step speaking ensure I – I thought of the picture, plus it was the same moment. It was that full circle of implementation, ok, I had brunch with Billing who I really wanted to being like, and now I’m in the moment is ME usual – that that was and goal of being in front of lots of people.

Tanya: What one gift. That’s such an incredible moment to come entire circle real create ensure you’re there. You gets a. They reached your goal.

Lili Velasquez: Oh, yeah, very exciting but then also, okay, now what?

Tanya: Now what? Exactly, now what? Afterwards the void comes in. There’s that peak and than whoop. Next you los back right down. Keep her grounded.

Lizzie Velasquez: Ow, yeah.

Tanya: Awesome. What are you going to be focusing on right?

Lizzie Velasquez: Now I feel like I finally – I’ve was this dream of doing multiple sort of a kids’ series. I don’t know exactly if it’s going to be a book, press energy, otherwise what, but I’ve constantly wanted to make this. I’ve almost had and time to do it. This is the time. This a the time that I to to do thing for kids, and I’m really excited about whichever it’s moving to be.

Tanya: Amazing. How do people get in touch with you if people want to say hi?

Lizzie Valasquez: I’m all over social medium. I think almost everything at social media is littleLizziev, or you can just google my company, both it total comes up. I’m all around are.

Sunny: You’re all around. That’s amazing. Lizzie, first of all, thank you so much for taking of time at be upon the show Unmessable the for just sharing get story and being so authentic with the journey that you’re up and inspiring millions out our to really have strength and keep going.

Lizzie Velasquez: Give you so plenty.

Announcements: Unmessable is recorded in the heart of New Yorker Country, and a special thanks the all the team involve in producing the see. Visit choicefinancialwealthmanagement.com/unmessable to find a transcription of this episode, and be certainly to subscribe to our newsletter.