The definition of beauty has changed over the years, but the time when we would stop judging people based on their looks is yet to come.
Being different is not bad, in fact it gives you the chance to be unique and feel special as long as you learn how to accept yourself the way you are. A woman named Tessa Schiethart from The Netherlands is doing exactly that. She loves herself no matter what.
This incredibly brave young lady was born with a birthmark on her face, or a condition known as Sturge-Weber Syndrome.
Tessa’s parents were concerned because they know people can be judgmental and they didn’t want their girl to go through a hard time during her life, so they decided to take the doctor’s advice and take her to treatments that would make the birthmark lighter.
Unfortunately, wanting to offer the best to their little girl, they made things worse. The treatments weren’t successful and Tessa was left with scars on her face.
“When I was six we stopped laser treatment because my eyes became more important and there was high eye pressure and we needed to lower it in order to keep my left eye from becoming blind as well,” she told Barcroft TV.
All this didn’t make Tessa feel sorry for herself. Instead, she decided to embrace the fact that her face is different and now spreads her positivity to people who don’t feel confident because they are different themselves.
She works as a life coach and helps change the lives of many.
”My birthmark and my different look has never stopped me from pursuing my dreams. I have studied the studies I wanted to, I work, have many friends and have travelled the world extensively all by myself. I love the little things in life, and practice yoga every morning to set my intention for the day”, she says.
“I chose not to spent two hours of my morning in front of a mirror putting on a mask of chemical make-up to cover my stain so that ‘society’ would accept me and I would fit some ‘standard of normalcy.’”
She used to spend a lot of time covering her birthmark but seeing herself in the mirror without it was “such a weird distorted feeling.”
Tessa believes that the term normal is overrated and that we shouldn’t identify ourselves with our bodies.
We believe that what Tessa does is so inspirational that it becomes life changing. She truly is a very special young woman who looks absolutely stunning the way she is.