I can see you standing in the mirror, turning from side to side, seeing which angle makes your stomach look the smallest. I can see the way you look at the cellulite on your outer thighs, the way you pull at it, the way you massage at it because you read an article about how massaging it would make it go away. I see you rubbing cocoa butter on your stretch marks because of the pregnancy ads that swear it works, but it doesn't.

I can hear the way you talk about your body to others, how you feel stuck in a fat suit and how you feel like you will never get smaller. I can see the way your boyfriend looks at you with disappointment when you say you feel fat and ugly. I see the way your friends stare at you when you say your stomach looks too big in one of your favorite shirts. They look at you and think you're crazy because you are only a few pounds over your high school weight. They wonder why you can't see the body that they see.

I know the way it feels to not love your body. I know you accept that you may never be completely in love with your body, but there are a few things I want you to remember when you see your scars in bad lighting:

I want you to remember that your body has been around for many years on this earth. If the world can't accept that you have scars, those are unrealistic expectations for the world to put on you. The scar on your sternum looks bad ass. When you see your stomach roll when you sit down, the most beautiful of Greek sculptures were posed in a way to show the roll of skin as a sign of health and beauty. This basically makes you a Greek goddess! And your thighs that have gotten fuller in the last few years show your maturity, sensuality and womanly figure. If your body should become smaller, your figure will be slim and athletic, just as womanly as before.

Your vibrant personality will shine through the skin you may not love. The radiant beauty of your mind will always be noticed by others, and your intelligence will set you apart from everyone else. Your smile will find a way to radiate light in someone you may not always appreciate, and your eyes will forever be the lovely shade that your mother loves.

I want you to remember that not every day will feel like this. You will wake up tomorrow and rub cocoa butter on your skin. And not because it rids your body of stretch marks, but because you love how soft it makes your skin. One day you will look side to side in the mirror, trying on a million outfits in order to find the perfect one for the interview of your life. You'll rub your back because it was a long, but rewarding, work day. And instead of being concerned about your body, you'll wonder why it ever mattered in the first place.