To the girl who used to associate weight with happiness,
To the girl who used to compare the way she looked to everyone else,
To the girl who used to change 50 times in the morning to finally feel comfortable in what she was wearing,
To the girl who hated summer because she hated wearing shorts,
To the girl who used to always feel like ‘the bigger one’ even if it wasn’t the case,
To the girl who used to think she wasn’t worthy of love,
To the girl who had an unhealthy relationship with food,
To the girl who was told she’d be happier if she went down a pant size…
You are beautiful.
Your curves, your scars, and all your imperfections are beautiful. They are what help make you, YOU. You cannot compare yourself to others because no one else has been through the same things that you have been through. You are not beautiful just because of the way you look, you are beautiful for your brain, for the ways in which you treat others, for your courage, for your strength, for your resilience.
In high school, I was this girl. Sometimes, I still become this girl. All my insecurities creep in and I feel like a foreigner in my own body. But then I remember a quote I read not too long ago: “If the whole world was blind, how many people would you impress?”
Think about that for a second…
We impress and intrigue people with our personalities. We are so much more than the way we physically look. We need to learn to wake up everyday assuming that those around you cannot physically see you. What kind of person are you? Who would you like to become? I started doing things for me. I go to the gym now not because I feel obligated to, but because I want to. I do not go because I am trying desperately to burn calories to make myself thin. I don’t push myself to the point where I feel faint. I go because it makes me feel good. I go for myself, and not for anyone else. I dress for myself, and not for anyone else. I only compare myself to the person I was yesterday. How can I be better? The sooner you start to do things for yourself, the happier you will be.
We, as people, men and women, all struggle with similar insecurities. Even the most confident looking people are insecure at times. It is important to remember that you are your own worst critic. The flaws that you so quickly judge about yourself are most likely things that others don’t even notice. Often, they are the things that others love about you.
From one slightly insecure human to another, we are all insecure at times, but it is what makes us human. Let’s start owning our insecurities!
Be you.