If you’re a ’90s kid, chances are you grew up watching Tia and Tamera Mowry on their classic sitcom Sister, Sister. While we loved the show, the twins struggled with being in the spotlight at such a young age. It was particularly tough for Tamera, who on a recent episode of The Real opened up about insecurities she dealt with as a result of comments from a mean-spirited “fan.”
“Kids can say really dumb things,” Mowry says, before detailing the hurtful comments she once encountered while reading fan mail. “I can remember reading this stupid letter when this person called me ugly and said I was the ‘ugly and goofy twin.’”
At a crucial stage of adolescence when teens are all too concerned with what other people think of them, Mowry internalized those hateful words and believed them to be true. “For years, I made an agreement with that stupid statement. And I carried it around with me for years. I thought I was ugly and I thought I was goofy.”
However, one of Mowry’s best friends, seeing that her confidence was still dramatically affected by the comments she read years ago, reminded her of the importance of self love. According to Mowry, her friend said, “You know what, Tamera? You are not 16 years old anymore. You do not need to listen to that insecurity in your head anymore. You do not let other people define who you are.’”
Because of her friend’s advice, Tamera no longer allows haters to affect her. “To this day, when I read negative comments like that, I say, ‘I do not have to make an agreement with that.’”
She goes on to give an emotional statement that we all should keep in mind: “I’m not going to give you power over who I am. I know who I am and you don’t define me. I define me.”