Quotes from Lizzie Velasquez

You are the biggest influencer in your life.

Bullying in 2015 has a whole new look. It doesn't ever end. It's 24/7.

Whether it's your personal life, your work life, your school life, your confidence, everything will fit once you believe in yourself.

My biggest piece of advice when it comes to bullying is to have an open communication about it.

When I was a teenager I would look in the mirror and wish I could wash away my syndrome. I hated it because it caused so much pain in my life.

Having to look a certain way, or be a certain weight, comes from magazines, movies, the media.

To me, ultimate happiness is a journey, not a destination. It's not somewhere you end up, it's making choices every day to make yourself happy.

Beyond scheduling regular checkups with my cardiologist, there is no way to know if or when my heart condition might become critical.

As I got older, I knew my syndrome wasn't going away. It was a hard pill to swallow. I wanted to look like everyone else and blend in, and I couldn't find a way to make that happen. I couldn't blame the doctors or my parents, so I blamed myself.

I weigh myself regularly and if I gain even one pound I get really excited.

I could eat absolutely whatever I want, whenever I want and I won't really gain any weight. I'm going to be 25 in March, and I've never weighed over about 64 pounds in my entire life.

But I have the most incredible support system in the world. They let me have those times when I just want to cry. But I give myself a deadline and say, today's my sad day but tomorrow when the sun comes up it's done.

I taught myself how to be a speaker on Google. I just Googled 'how to be a motivational speaker.'

I am very determined but I also have a tendency to be very stubborn. If I'm ever told I can't do something I put my mind to or that I won't be able to accomplish, I automatically think of it is a dare that I won't do it and it makes me that much more determined to get it accomplished.

My original plan was to graduate high school and major in computer engineering at college. That went out the window, and I said, 'I have to do something with speaking.'

I can pretty much make a joke out of any situation, I'm quick on my feet and I love to laugh. I am the biggest girly girl. I love to get dressed up, go shopping, and getting my nails done.

Everyone knows life throws you curve balls, in my case it's like life throws me giant boulders.

But after the TED talk went viral, I called Sara Hirsh Bordo, who had produced TEDxAustinWomen, to ask her advice. She told me she'd like to do a documentary, and that we should work together on anti-bullying efforts.

I make it a point to let myself have bad days on a regular basis.

You'd assume I was being bullied a tonne at school and it was horrible, but in reality, I really was getting bullied everywhere else.

I feel like I've built up this persona of always being positive and always being happy, and I worried if my audience sees me not in that light, will they think less of me? Will they discredit me? Will I just be nothing?

I credit a lot of learning to love myself to my faith, my family and my friends. Everyone needs someone you can look to for constant support, who you never have to impress, to share your happy and sad days.

I was actually so small that my baby clothes were actually doll clothes from Toys 'R' Us because that's all that would fit me!

When you are tiny like me and it's hard to find clothes that fit you get really creative! I do love fashion though, and it's so fun to play with different things.