I’m sure I’m not the first one to tell you self confidence is very hard to come by these days. In a superficial society where we base our self-worth on the number of Instagram likes we get and our number of followers, people are consistently compared to each other, especially girls. We are our own worst critics and it definitely doesn’t help when society wants you to always look like a runway model when, in fact, many of us find it a struggle to even put pants on in the morning, let alone paint our entire face with a pound of makeup and put together a nice outfit. It’s just so much easier to wear leggings and a tee shirt than it is a dress and stilettos. So when we do dress up, it is usually because we owe it to ourselves to look human every once in a while, not necessarily because we are trying to impress someone. It’s so hard to be confident in the way we live and look every day when pictures clutter our timelines and news feeds on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook from celebrities and friends who seem to have their life together a lot better than we do at the moment. But it’s all just a show. We put our best self out there for the world to see. However, instead of aiming to show our best selves on a semi-weekly occurrence, it should be an every day thing.
We are all beautiful in our own way; there is no mold for beauty. First and foremost, true beauty is inner beauty: a pure and gentle mind and heart looks good on everyone. Then comes all the outward superficial things that the current materialistic and hook-up culture has instilled in us. If we can learn to love ourselves for who we are, we are guaranteed a happier self and life. We should stop focusing on the things we wish we could change about ourselves such as hair color/style, a flatter stomach, a thigh gap, or things of the like. Instead, make it a point to compliment yourself every day for even just getting out of bed this morning and going about your day. For some, that is an incredible feat in and of itself and certainly should not go unnoticed.
So in case no one has told you yet today, you are beautiful inside and out and are worth so much. Never let anyone tell you differently.
I do admit, though, that I am forever envious of girls who prance around looking and knowing that they have it all: the beauty, the look, the guy—so basically anyone in LA or on the red carpet. I am in awe of girls who exude confidence all the time like Demi Lovato. Demi has been my idol since she debuted in “Camp Rock” back in 2008 alongside the Jonas Brothers. Naturally, Demi and Joe became my first OTP and I will forever lament their fallout. I related so much to Demi’s character in the movie (minus the hidden talent part) and I found her so lovable on screen and off. It was a big shock to me when I learned about her life-long struggles of body image and fitting in. Now I really related to her. I found her story of recurring eating disorders and self-harm a touching one. Not that she knows who I am, but I was rooting for her as she went through treatment and counseling to find herself again. I can only hope to one day be as confident as she is.
I decided to live like Demi for a week and see if I could learn some of her tricks to beauty and confidence. Here’s how it went:
Day One: Demi’s famous NMM (No Makeup Monday) was especially challenging for the start of the week. I am very self-conscious of my imperfect skin and facial features so to actually have to go out in public with no makeup was very difficult. I felt like people were staring at me the whole time wondering what the heck I was doing out of the house as sick as I look. However, it was nice to not have to scrub and scrub my face to relieve my pores from caked on foundation and concealer.
P.S. The power of makeup is incredible.
Day Two: I decided to try one of Demi’s edgier looks first with a crop top and jeans with a flannel. Go big or go home, right? This day was oddly satisfying. I still got many stares, and I found myself trying to tie the flannel over my exposed stomach all day. I guess better luck tomorrow.
Day Three: December is beach weather? What? Thanks, Virginia. I attempted to recreate one of Demi’s pictures from her “Cool for the Summer” advertisement from the summer. Clearly, I am not as bronzed by the summer sun as she was because it is winter, after all. I also kind of felt like a flamingo posing for this, but it was fun.
Day Four: This outfit was simple enough and I felt the most comfortable in this tee and jeans so far this week.
Day Five: This classic black and white outfit was very easy to put together and very comfortable to wear. It’s amazing how with just one piece of fun clothing, like a leather jacket, you can spice up any outfit. I instantly felt bolder even if I just ran an errand up to Walmart. It was definitely a good Friday.
Day Six: There is no better way to celebrate the weekend than out with your friends. This time, I opted for a bodycon dress and it was incredibly hard to leave the house like this. My hips are my biggest insecurity, but thanks to my friend’s urging/dragging me out of the house, we made it out and started our night. I soon received many compliments from both guys and girls and slowly started to feel better about the dress. Guys even tried dancing with us, which was a big confidence boost.
Day Seven: I figured a great way to end the week was a workout and relaxation day. Demi is body goals and it is my new goal to discipline myself like she has so that I can be on my way to feeling better about myself. (Yes, I did actually go to the gym for this picture and yes, I actually worked out.)
Final thoughts: I learned that the first step to self confidence is your mental attitude. The less you think of yourself, the harder it is to be more daring. Still, by the end of the week, I was hesitant about wearing clothes that showed off my body, but the reaction from others definitely helped me feel better about myself. I think that if I keep up this challenge and surround myself with only positive people and thoughts, I too will be on my way to living a happier and more confident life. I encourage you all to push yourself out of your comfort zone and experiment with different styles that show off your assets because you have to love yourself before anyone else can love you.
Always remember: THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING CONFIDENT.