Accepting I'm Not 'That Girl'

We can all relate to wanting to be someone else at least once in our lives. I know I've caught myself wanting to just be "that girl" that I see all over Instagram. You know, the one with thousands of followers for the sole reason that she is gorgeous and leads this seemingly amazing life with no worries. Of course, in reality, I know I shouldn't compare myself to someone else, but it's hard to remember that everyone has hardships and I should be confident that I am doing what is right for me.

Buzzfeed released a video on May 5th that captured and addressed so much of what I have felt about myself in just two and a half minutes. It's not a campaign that speaks empowering words to women for advertising purposes, but a video that is meant to inspire women who feel that they don't fit what we, as women, have been taught is ideal for us in life. Take a look here:

"I Am Not That Girl" has so much to say that goes far beyond those two and a half minutes. We've all seen someone we'd describe as "that girl," but in reality there can be so many different versions. It may not just be the strikingly beautiful girls, but the girl who is effortlessly brilliant with a 4.0 GPA, or the girl who travels the world alone with unwavering bravery. What's so important about this video is that it is a challenge. A challenge for all women to accept who they are, even if they don't meet the standard of "perfection" that has been created for us. It's a challenge to accept our strong suits and the path that we choose for ourselves. Lastly, it's also a challenge to be simply the best we can at whatever we do or whoever we choose to be, as cheesy as that sounds. "I Am Not That Girl" is a reminder that we are not inferior to anyone, and that no one can replace another's impact on this world, so we shouldn't strive to be like one another but should use our own strengths for what we feel is our purpose.

Something that does deserve attention that wasn't mentioned in the video is that even though someone's life looks put together and easy, there is no way of knowing exactly what that person is feeling on the inside. For some, they are always in a relationship because they're unable to be happy on their own. Maybe the girl in the bar is flirting because she needs others' approval to feel okay about herself. These girls have insecurities too, and it's important to remember that everyone feels inferior at times. The quote, "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about," stands true in that there are people that we can't imagine what they're going through, so don't be so quick to judge or to be envious. If the girls described at the beginning of the video relate to you but you feel confident and comfortable with who you are, don't let someone else tell you that you're wrong for that.

Do I think that this video will cure all insecurities that women have? No, for some this will only be a thought for ten minutes until they see another funny cat video. In my eyes though, if this video changes one person's negative thoughts about themselves, it would be well worth the effort people made to create it, the discussion its created, and the many Facebook shares. I know I'll put the video in my bookmarks so I can stumble upon it in the future and be reminded that it's okay to not be that girl.

So today, appreciate who you are, and what's amazing about you because you deserve it!