Everyone needs to believe that they are worth something, no matter who puts them down — even if they put themselves down. Sometimes, girls have a hard time doing that. We are all plagued with the desire to be like someone else. I know that there are multiple people who want to be liked by everyone or have a roomful of friends who worship them.

We only need true friends and people who will care for you for as long as you live.

There are a bunch of girls, including me, who feel pressure everyday to keep up with the latest fashion trend or go to that cool, new place down the block with a bunch of friends. Us girls also have a problem in that we tend to not be ourselves around our friends or other people. We need to present the best parts of ourselves and maybe even hide or pretend we are someone we aren't. That is one thing that every girl has experienced, especially in high school. Coming from a freshman in high school, it doesn't seem like I would know much, but it doesn't take four years to notice and experience stuff like this. We need to be ourselves because we are special just the way we are.

There is another thing that we all need to be aware of — something that some girls desire and fight for so much because they need reassurance, or they need to know that they are loved. We aren't defined by boys. I know that everyone has those crushes or likes someone now and again, but that doesn't mean that we need them. We all have friends and family that we can lean on if we need a shoulder to cry on or just someone to tell us that they love us.

Speaking of love, we are all loved in one way or another. One thing that all people, especially girls, need to acknowledge because of all of the insecurities we can have is that we need to be satisfied with ourselves. There do not need to change who we are inside, especially for anyone else. It doesn't matter how skinny, how pretty and how smart or athletic you are. All that matters is that you are being yourself and no one can change you. We need to learn about the concept of self-love. We need to love ourselves just the way we are.

No one is perfect. No one will ever be perfect. No one should strive to be perfect because they never will be. We all have weaknesses and strengths, and we all have flaws that can't be fixed. But that is also what makes you, you. No one can define us, and no one can change us. I know I'm not perfect, and I never will be, but I am currently learning to love myself and accept me for who I am.

Life can be hard, and all of us have experienced the repercussions of bad choices and the gains of good choices. Whenever we get put down, all we need to do is stand back up. If we get knocked down time and time again, all we need to do is just keep getting back up — no matter how many times we get knocked down. You need to know that you are worth it and that there are so many people that love you an care about you.

So, girls, I hope you have learned something here that a lot of us wouldn't have known if it wasn't brought to our attention. Please, don't change yourself. No one defines you. Girls, women and whoever needs validation needs to know one thing.

Never, ever think you aren't worth it.

You. Are. Worth it.