It took me too long to realize my self-worth. Like many other women, I grew up with an abundance of insecurities. I could blame it on the media, but truthfully that was just an excuse to normalize my feelings. While the media does perpetuate a “perfect” image of women, It’s not okay to accept a place of inferiority. Unless you are actively putting other women down, I firmly believe that all women are equally amazing and capable of accomplishing great things — including me.
I spent too much time thinking that others would compare me to the “perfect” women in the media. It is normal to care what others think of you, but it really comes down to what you think of yourself. When I personally stopped comparing myself to other women, I stopped caring if other people did the same. Our society normalizes insecure women to a point where women are afraid to be confident because they may be seen as “conceited” or “arrogant”. Because of this, many women are afraid to express their self-worth and are seen as being bossy and overbearing if they know what they want out of life.
Because I was always comparing myself to other people, I felt like I was lacking when I didn’t achieve what others achieved. Being able to admit to myself that I was imperfect and finally accepting those imperfections was a great accomplishment in itself. This self-actualization was a product of putting all of my negative energy into changing myself for the better. When I stopped comparing myself to others, I started doing things regardless of how I equated to others.
Knowing your power and coming to terms with yourself does not happen overnight. The biggest factor in boosting your self-esteem is changing your attitude. Instead of looking in the mirror and analyzing what you think is wrong, take a step away and think about what you have accomplished. Physical appearance is such a trivial aspect of who you are. Accepting who I am physically and admiring who I am as a person is what made me believe that I am beautiful.
Treating yourself how you would treat a best friend is a healthy form of self-love. Valuing yourself regardless of your job, failures, or physical appearance is a key to realizing your self-worth.