52 | THE VOICE MAY 2023
Lifestyle
Why being different is a strength and not a weakness
Fats Timbo is hoping others will gain inspiration from her book and follow her lead by facing their challenges head-on. By Joel Campbell
F
ATS TIMBO’S new book is a triumph of resilience and self-acceptance, a heartfelt call to arms for anyone who has ever felt out of place in the world. Through her own journey of self-discovery, Fats has learned to embrace her differences and use them as a source of strength, rather than weakness. Her ten commandments for living fearlessly are a roadmap for anyone seeking to do the same. “My new book is inspired by my life story and what I have gone through in my life in terms of my disability and the challenges that come with it. “It’s called Main Character Energy: 10 Commandments for Living Life Fearlessly, and the reason I have that name is because we are all main characters in our own lives. We often forget about that because we are too busy caring about others, what they think and what they feel. “We’re born alone, apart from twins, we die alone and fearlessness is something that I have definitely been doing my whole life. Every time I step out of my house, every time I step into a new building, every time I meet new people, it’s fearlessness. “So I just wanted to share that sentiment with people. When I was trying to be more confident, what helped me was reading self-help books. So my book is a mix between a self-help book and an autobiography.” Growing up with achondroplasia, Fats faced numerous challenges that many of us can
only imagine. She was constantly reminded of her differences, whether it was through the stares of strangers or the insensitive comments of peers. But instead of hiding away, Fats learned to stand tall and face the world head-on. “It started even before my life began,” Fats explains. “My mum and dad found out that I would either have Down’s syndrome or Dwarfism, because doctors called my mum into hospital when my mum was six months pregnant to tell her that my head was growing bigger than my body. They asked her if she wanted to terminate the pregnancy, but my mum had already fallen in love with me as I was growing inside her, so she said no. “It all starts from there and it shows the love that they have always shown me throughout my life. So I came out with Dwarfism, and with Dwarfism it’s a lack of
cartilage in my joints that affects the way my body grows, so my torso is average height but my arms and legs are shorter than usual. “About 75 per cent of people with Dwarfism have achondroplasia. Dwarfism as a whole happens to one in 30,000 births, so it’s very, very rare.” She added: “I grew up with achondroplasia and, when I realised I was smaller than everyone else, I realised that I couldn’t run as fast as everyone else. I couldn’t reach things the same way everyone else could. “That really affected me because I was thinking why am I not growing the same way that everyone else was. “I was so confused, I didn’t know, I didn’t understand it. I was about five-years-old and people were way taller than me and I was tiny. It made me realise that I was different.”
EXERCISES
In her new book, Fats shares her personal journey of self-acceptance, offering practical advice and exercises for readers to follow. Each chapter includes a section for personal journaling, encouraging readers to reflect on their own experiences and discover their own superpowers. But this is more than just a selfhelp book. It is a call to action, a demand for greater acceptance and understanding of those who are different. Fats wants readers to take her message and use it
ROLE MODEL: Fats Timbo has not allowed her disability to get the better of her, and she is now firmly reaping the rewards and looks to help others (photo: Linda Blacker) to create a better, more inclusive world. Through her work as a comedian and disability advocate, Fats has become a role model for millions of young women around the world. Her infectious personality and quick wit have won her a legion of fans, but it is her unwavering commitment to authenticity and self-love that sets her apart. “As a teenager, I think those were my worst years with achondroplasia. “I think that’s when I was very suicidal, I didn’t want to be on this earth any more. I had very low self-esteem, I hated going out, I hated social interaction. I was at a very low point, but I think when I started getting tired of that version of me I started the self-help books and I started manifestation, I didn’t know what I wanted to manifest but I knew it would be great. “What was important to me at that time was to try and gain some confidence from some-
first ever modelling gig and it’s
“I was suicidal, for underwear, ok. “That was a massive challenge but I started because I threw myself right into deep end, but afterwards I getting tired of the felt absolutely amazing, I felt regood about myself, I felt like that version of ally I was representing, and when me so I started I posted it on Instagram that’s when it went ‘boom’, things went with self-help insane.” At its core, Main Character books” Energy: 10 Commandments for thing. I saw an advert for people who had Dwarfism, albinism, alopecia, and for me I thought, wow, they are calling my name. It was about inclusivity and I felt that I needed to do something like that so that I could come out of my comfort zone. “As well as not feeling confident at the same time, I would want to challenge myself. So when they accepted me and said ‘oh, by the way, the campaign is for underwear’, I was like, wow, ok. “Even more of a challenge, my
Living Life Fearlessly is about finding the courage to be yourself in a world that often seems designed to crush individuality. It is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of self-love. And it is a message that everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can benefit from hearing. “I can’t wait for people to read it, get the feedback and feel the love that I am trying to give,” Fats enthused. Watch the full interview: www.voice-online.co.uk
