"The hardest prison to escape is your mind." -- Unknown

"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds." --Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Don't allow yourself to become a prisoner of your own mind. The only thing stopping you is how you think." -- Unknown

Forget what you perceive the mirror says, what others think, or some superficial rules of what you should or should not be; should or should not look like; should or should not wear. 

Open your heart and look objectively at what's inside. What does your heart say? What does it want? What does it need? Then turn away from everything else and embrace what you find. 

We all wish to be accepted and to belong. But that can't happen if we don't accept who we are; belong to self first. 

Listen to your heart; love yourself the way you love your children or grandchildren (because those are usually the most pure, selfless loves). Then set your mind toward yourself the way you think about those you love and want to make happy. Once you can do this successfully, the rest will follow.