What first sparked your journey into body self-love?
Back in 2016, I was a senior in high school. At the time, Dcard was the most popular online forum. I often saw curvier girls sharing their outfits on the fashion board, only to be mocked and body-shamed by guys making disgusting comments. That really struck a nerve, and I made up my mind: once I got into college, I would sign up and start posting my own thoughts and outfit photos to push back against that toxic culture. My posts ended up getting a lot of attention, which led me to start sharing outfits regularly on Instagram — and that’s how I became active on social media.
Since you started sharing, how has your view of confidence and your body changed?
My confidence has nothing to do with my body. It comes from knowing that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. Getting into my dream school, landing a well-paying job overseas after graduation, quitting that job to backpack around Europe for a year, rebuilding my Instagram from scratch after losing my old account, and losing 20 kilograms — these are all things that make me feel proud and confident in myself.
How do you stay strong and keep going despite criticism about your body?
When I was 18, I was hurt by the hateful comments about me on Dcard—it even gave me insomnia. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Back in school, people said I was arrogant and wouldn’t get far if I didn’t listen. But the more I live the life I want, the more I know: I was right—they were wrong.
Haters always have something to say about body image. When I was bigger, they yelled, “Go lose weight! Go exercise!” After I lost 20 kg, they sneered, “Aren’t you contradicting yourself? Didn’t you say you loved your body before? You go to the gym and still look fat!”
If they’re going to talk no matter what, I might as well live freely and laugh it off. Now when I see trolls openly leaving nasty comments online, I screenshot them—for future video content.
What would you say to a girl who's afraid to wear what she loves, even a bikini?
Life is yours to live. If your fear is just about what others think, you’re handing them control of your life. The world won’t applaud your self-restraint, but you’ll feel proud and worthy when you wear what makes you feel good.
Any advice for future digital nomads? Something you wish you knew?
To be a digital nomad, you need a remote-ready job. So if you dream of this lifestyle, prepare your skills early. If I knew in college I wanted this life, I’d spend more time learning online instead of dating so much :)
What details matter most when you wear swimwear? How is HÁI swimwear different?
I pay attention to the weather and find good spots to set up my tripod since I often travel solo. HÁI swimwear has beautiful fabric in the sun, offers many sizes, and it’s rare to see others wearing the same design abroad.
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