Johannesburg - It's the age old story. You see a picture of a beautiful girl in a magazine and you think she has the perfect life. That she loves her body, that she's confident and that everything is going just smoothly.
But all too often we're told that this isn't the case. That just like you and me, that beautiful girl has just has many body issues, wants to make some changes to her appearance, and life, well, just isn't as fab as that single picture portrays.
Former Miss South Africa, Melinda Bam recently opened up about how she has come full circle in accepting her flaws and appreciating how to be happy in the moment.
"It's so funny and ironic that all the goals I had set out for myself, were to be more like other people...when now, I look back at myself then and think "why couldn't I see then how pretty amazing I already was?" To get that bum, takes 3 times the effort now, and to put on that bikini, 3times the confidence... The spiral continues as I think of myself in 10years time, looking back at a picture of me now...thinking the exact same thing."
Melinda posted a picture of herself when she first started modelling and spoke about how it was her dream to be a Victoria's Secret model. Now, as she has matured, she says the biggest lesson she has learnt is learning to be the best she can be.
"I like me, and I only want to be me, and will always aspire to be the best version of me, and although I've only started again now...I'll never stop believing in ME ever again!"
Take a minute to read her full post below. You won't regret it.