Lauren Conrad Finds Life and Love After 'The Hills'

“The Hills” star Lauren Conrad has a new outlook on life, despite having just quit the job that made her famous.

“I’m more comfortable with who I am now,” the 23-year-old tells Shape magazine. “I’ve learned that you’ve got to stay true to yourself. It’s the only way you’ll be really happy.”

Shortly before leaving “The Hills,” Conrad seemed to be on top of the world with the hit show and a high-end clothing line in boutiques around the country. But instead of feeling happy and confident, the star said she was suffering inside.

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“People I thought I could count on were undermining me, and my self esteem took a hit,” she said.

Nine months ago, the stress came to a head and Conrad wa s at her breaking point.

“I felt bad about myself because certain people were relentlessly attacking me and my reputation. My mom kept saying ‘Let it go, Lauren, It doesn’t matter’ … [I] realized I had to stop worrying about what other people think. The next day I got a tattoo on my lower back that says ‘sticks and stones,’ because they may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”