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Katie Piper opens up about body confidence: 'It's about acceptance'

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Sharnaz Shahid
Deputy Online Editor
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She is a role model to many, and has always been an advocate for promoting a positive message surrounding body image. Talking about how she's overcome past insecurities, Katie Piper - who has received numerous awards and accolades for her charity work over the years - has revealed confidence should come from within.

During an exclusive chat with HELLO! Online, the 33-year-old confessed: "My overall message is confidence isn't an exclusive club. We're all guilty - myself included - of saying, 'If only I had a bit of what she has, if I could look more like her than I could be more confident'. It's not actually what some people have… it's easy to stay in our comfort zone and never go beyond that. If we push ourselves we become more confident."

katie 2z© Photo: Getty Images

Katie Piper has revealed confidence should come from within

Katie, who is promoting her fifth book, Confidence: The Secret, has urged fans to stay "positive" whenever they are feeling down or are having a bad day. "It's all about positive thinking, reframing your thoughts and to stay optimistic," she explained. "We have to be careful if we're not happy or not coping – and actually say, 'It's okay to be depressed, it's okay to have anxiety and with all the mental health stuff.

"There are so many people who have fears and anxiety. Sometimes it's about acceptance and letting go and to say, 'Today's a rubbish day, today I've found it really hard'. It's all right to feel down, feeling positive all the time is not real life, that's being a robot."

katie© Photo: Getty Images

 "It's all about positive thinking," she told HELLO! Online

When asked about the best piece of advice anyone has ever given her, Katie revealed: "It was a quote which my doctor wrote down for me. It said, 'Worry is a total waste of time, all it does is steal your joy and keep you very busy from doing nothing at all.' And that really made me think, you know he's right - so I said, 'I'm not going to control it or change it, it's just occupying loads of my head space and stops me from being productive.'"

Confidence: The Secret tells of Katie's next chapter from recovery to empowerment, sharing what she has learned from her most difficult moments to inspire and guide others. The television star, who was a victim of a horrific acid attack in 2008, hopes readers will feel happy, confident and better about themselves.