You have to be skinny, but have a tight butt and big boobs.
You have to have beautifully shining hair.
You have to be tan and toned.
We may not hear this, but we see this all the time. In magazines, on television, even on social media. When did society become the spokesperson for beauty standards? Why are we listening to them? I hate these beauty standards. I'm not saying that I hate you if you look like this, I'm saying that I hate that we are expected to look like this when everyone has a different body type. Impressionable pre-teens, teenagers, and even adults are looking up to these "Instagram models" on how to look and dress and it's sick.
I can't help but feel insecure when I see these beautiful girls with the whitest teeth, the nicest skin, and beautiful eyes. Whenever I scroll past a picture on Instagram or Tumblr, I ask myself why can't I look like this? My family and friends tell me I'm beautiful, but sometimes I don't believe it. I have days where I look at myself in the mirror and I think that I'm pretty, but I feel like the insecure days trump my confident days.
I don't look like the girls in the magazine. I don't fit society's standards. I'm taking this opportunity to be so open with my readers so that I can slowly gain that confidence. What do I like about myself and what parts of me do I define to be beautiful? Well, I like my eyes. They may not be ocean blue, but I think they're great. I like my smile and because of having braces in the past, I am able to have a nice one. I don't have great skin or hair or the perfect body, but I'm me and that should be enough.
If you don't love yourself or you're feeling insecure, focus on the positive things. Realize that most of the people in the magazines and online don't actually look like that. Realize that everyone has different standards of beauty, and that nobody's opinions about you are any of your business.
Be confident and be you! Embrace your curves, your small chest, big chest, pale skin, dark skin, etc. If we are learning anything from 2017, it's that we should take our own advice, listen to ourselves, be happy with ourselves.
