To the girl who struggles with self esteem issues,
I won't start this by telling you you're beautiful. No. I'm going to apologize. I'm going to apologize for all the reasons why people like you and I struggle with societal standards of beauty ideals and body types every day.
I'm sorry you're not the young, carefree kid you once where. I'm sorry things are no longer simple, like playing on the playground. I'm sorry that making friends isn't as easy as it once was. I'm sorry that you, along with the rest of the kids that grew up, have been jaded. I'm so sorry that this world has taken something from you. I'm sorry that it has bruised your beauty and carefree attitude. I'm sorry that it's made you hate a million things about yourself. I'm sorry that you see these beauty ideals and think your skin isn't clear enough, your teeth not white enough and that your body isn't a size 2.
I'm sorry that society has set standards for failure while attempting to teach you to recover from that failure. To fix what it broke in the first place, you. I'm sorry that you feel too skinny or too fat. I'm sorry that people say mean things because they can only attack what's visible. I"m sorry that they cannot see the character you are. Your little quirks and all the things that make you uniquely you. All of the beautiful aspects that fit together to form a puzzle of who you are. Most of all, I'm so sorry that your body has become more important than your mind. In the midst of fighting this battle that you lose every day, I'm sorry that people can't see how utterly wonderful you are.
Yet...there's a battle that you win. You survive. You have good days where you love your body and the world. You have days where you hate your body because of the world. Your unique puzzle, with all it's jagged edges and mismatched pieces surpass the negativity in the world. Society puts emphasis on both inwards and outwards versions of beauty. True beauty comes from within graces the shelves with other magazines that headline "How to get fit for summer." Two messages inflicted upon you day after day.
I'm sorry that it's often hard not to see how beautiful you are. I'm so sorry that it's hard to let other people be your mirror. To let other people tell you how beautiful you are and truly believe them. Lastly, I'm sorry that people preach more and support less. I hope that one day you'll be able to conquer this battle and shine bright like Kim Kardashian's one million dollar choker necklace. Until then, keep fighting.
