In today’s society, it is difficult for us, as women, to feel like we are good enough. There are constant reminders of our imperfection surrounding us wherever we go. Whether we find ourselves at the grocery store or hunched over the computer doing some online shopping, we always seem to be running into the same photoshopped beauty moguls — the ones with the long, flowing hair, perfectly coordinated outfits, flat tummies, cellulite-free legs, and waists so tiny it’s surprising their pants stay up without a belt. Society has deemed these girls the pinnacle of beauty, and over time, they have become what every girl aspires to be. However, this is extremely problematic.
The truth of the matter is that the girls on the covers of these fashion and beauty magazines are not real. Each and every one of them has been retouched and photoshopped dozens of times before magazine editors even began to consider putting their images on the cover. Unfortunately, even though the women on the covers of these magazines do not look like supermodels in real life, the unrealistic expectations and standards of beauty that their images have set for the female population are what have women everywhere telling themselves that they are not good enough.
This issue is something that has always bothered me. I believe that all women are beautiful, and that we should not have to question our appearances every day and wonder whether or not society will accept us for what we are.
What is more important than society’s acceptance of us is our own self acceptance. Although feeling the pressure to be perfect can make it difficult, learning to love ourselves for who we are, both inside and out, is not only very important for our health, but is also very possible. There are so many reasons to love yourself, and here I’ve decided to list just a few of them.
1. There is only one you.
There is no one else on this planet who is exactly like you. Have you ever listened to the radio where the same mainstream songs were playing over and over again? The same old stuff can get annoying really fast. No one wants to hear the same songs over and over again. The same is true when it comes to people. Who wants to be friends with a person who tries to be exactly like what everyone else thinks is popular? If you try to turn yourself into a copy of something you find to be acceptable, you’ll no longer be an original — and what fun is that? Like I said, there’s only one you. So embrace yourself! You’re one of a kind.
2. There is no such thing as “the perfect woman.”
Everyone has their own idea of what perfect means. The perfect vacation, the perfect dinner, the perfect house, the perfect car, etc. — one person’s idea of what these things mean will always be different from someone else’s. There are so many definitions of the word “perfect,” but none of them will ever do any justice to the truth, which is that “perfection” is a made up concept, an illusion. So to say that there is such a thing as “the perfect woman” would be a lie, because everyone has their own idea of what “the perfect woman” should be. There is no such thing as “the perfect woman”; there is only the best version of yourself, and that is what you strive to be.
3. You will never be able to please everybody.
For every person that likes you, there will always be someone out there who does not. That is life. Beating ourselves up over the people who get off on calling others ugly, annoying, unacceptable or uncool is not the way to go about life. If we are constantly trying to impress other people, then that only means that we rank their opinion more highly than our own. Why do they deserve that power over us? They don’t! So don’t give it to them. If you can accept your own faults, then no one will ever be able to use them against you.
4. You are deserving of the same love that you show your family and friends.
Your family and friends are the people that you love unconditionally and would do anything for, right? Well, why shouldn’t you feel this way about yourself, as well? Everyone makes mistakes, and there are always going to be things that you dislike about yourself. However, in situations where you feel inclined to drag yourself down with self-hate, think about your family and friends — given they were in the same situation, would you treat them the same way that you are treating yourself? Of course not! So stop punishing yourself. Instead, forgive yourself for your mistakes, and show yourself some love, because you are every bit as deserving of your own love as your family and friends are.
These are just a few of the many reasons that you should love yourself. You are special, you are beautiful, and you are important. I hope that after reading this, you are able to think a little more highly of yourself, and that you are able to start showing yourself some love!