A Story About Body Image

By Angelique Cauterucci

For as long as I can remember, gymnastics was my entire world. The crisp scent of chalk in the air, the metallic clink of bars, the powerful spring of the vault, and the mesmerizing dance of the floor routines weren’t just details — they were part of me. The countless hours spent perfecting my balance on the beam, the adrenaline rush before a dismount, and the satisfaction of nailing a skill I once thought impossible fueled my passion. I was a little girl with big dreams, pouring every ounce of my heart and soul into the sport I adored.

But when I was nine years old, my world was shaken. I still remember the day my instructor looked me dead in the eye and said, “You will never be a competitive gymnast. You don’t have the right body type. It just isn’t going to happen for you.” Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. I was devastated.

I had a choice: let her words crush me or use them as fuel. I chose the latter. Instead of giving up, I pushed harder. I trained longer. I drowned out the negativity with pure determination. And slowly, I found something more powerful than talent—I found confidence and beauty within myself. That inner strength carried me through the rough days, and eventually, I proved my instructor wrong.

I became a Junior Olympic regional qualifier on the USA team. And now? I’m a proud NCAA collegiate athlete.

But my journey didn’t end there. Experiencing the pressures of negative body image at such a young age inspired me to do something bigger—to help others struggling with the same challenges. That’s why I created my nonprofit organization "You Define Beauty".

Through You Define Beauty, I have been a guest speaker in over 45 classrooms, 20 dance classes, 12 Girl Scout meetings, and 8 gymnastics teams throughout New Jersey. I’ve partnered with numerous non-profit organizations to help provide mental health resources to my community. Since starting my program, I have spoken to over 5,600 students between the ages of 7 and 22 about the importance of body positivity and confidence.

Every presentation begins with my personal story of overcoming negative body image and low self-esteem. Then, I share practical tools to help improve self-confidence. My favorite tool is teaching the importance of morning affirmations. I challenge each student to start their day by looking in the mirror and complimenting themselves. I even bring out a small mirror and say to myself, “You are beautiful, you are strong, you define your own beauty!” It feels silly at first, but doing it consistently leads to massive changes in confidence and body image.

After every assembly, I make myself available to any student who wants to share their story with me. To my surprise, so many of them step out of their comfort zones to open up. Speaking to kids one-on-one is a reminder of the real impact I’m making.

When I transformed You Define Beauty into a non-profit organization, I started bringing affirmation boxes to each school I visited. These boxes contain over 300 cards filled with positive messages written by high school and college students. The boxes are placed in school counselor offices, where students can grab encouragement whenever they need it. So far, I have 12 affirmation boxes in different schools and we’ve made over 3,500 cards!

Most recently, I founded the You Define Beauty Club at Saint Leo University. We host monthly meetings to organize fundraisers and events aimed at spreading awareness and educating others about body dysmorphia. Our efforts are gaining momentum, and we’re planning a 3K walk with a fundraising goal of $3,000 to support mental health initiatives and promote self-acceptance.

I also started an Instagram reel and TikTok series where I share my morning affirmations and monthly goals for students to use as inspiration. So far, my videos have generated over 65,000 views across all platforms. I even built a website to reach people who may not be on social media.

And it doesn’t stop there. I launched a podcast called You Define Beauty, where I interview guests about body positivity, self-esteem, and confidence. It’s available on all streaming platforms, and it’s another way I’m trying to make a difference.

Everything I do—whether it’s speaking to students, creating affirmation boxes, making videos, or hosting a podcast—is aimed at helping people overcome body dysmorphia and build self-confidence. Because at the end of the day, true beauty comes from within. And you define your own beauty."

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Angelique Cauterucci is the current Miss Cape Shores' Teen (NJ). You can find her at her title's Instagram or her personal Instagram. You can also check out the "You Define Beauty" website, Instagram, TikTok, and Podcast.

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.