Ever since I can remember, I've always been told how special I am. My mom would always kiss me on the forehead at night and tell me how beautiful I was. She would tell me that God had created me in the most perfect way. I've always believed that true beauty comes from the inside. I was brought up knowing that it's what is inside a person that counts.

My fondest memory as a little girl was when my grandpa would pick me up and tell me he was going to take some of my freckles. He would tell me that he, too, wanted freckles and I had so many I was supposed to share. I would cross my arms and give him the sternest face any three year old child could muster and say, "Grandpa, those are my angel kisses and I want them back." He would always laugh and tell me not to smile, which in return would lead me to do just that. He would put me down and tell me it didn't matter how many freckles I had, I was still beautiful just the way I was.

Growing up, I often forgot that. I would see my friends in middle school caking their face with makeup right before class. Once we got into high school it was dieting and skipping meals. I would see my drop dead gorgeous best friends looking at magazines and complaining how they weren't good enough. I would look at pictures of supermodels and celebrities and feel overwhelmed with the way I looked, and the way they looked.

And then, suddenly, I realized they are not real. If you google, 'the percentage of pictures photoshopped in a magazine you would understand that we are trying to become something that is unobtainable. The women and celebrities are made to look perfect with no flaws. But no one really looks like that. The picture on the left is Jennifer Lawrence. You can see how her waist was pulled in and smoothed over, her legs slimmed down, and her arms made thinner. The picture on the right is Keira Knightley. You can see how they airbrushed her face, made her cheek bones more dominant and brightened the color of her lips. These are the pictures and women we are trying so hard to become. We are trying to obtain something that is unrealistic.

I came across some statistics from the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders that inspired me to write this. Here are some of them,

• 91% of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting.
• 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.8.
• Up to 24 million people in the U.S., of all ages and genders, suffer from an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the

This is real. The girls and boys suffering are real. They are not photoshopped, altered, or changed in any way. My only question is, when did we start letting other people dictate how we view ourselves?

I have always admired the girl who just didn't care what other people thought. Who would look amazing when she wasn't trying because she always had a smile on her face. I don't want to be that girl who is constantly dieting and trying to fit in. I don't want to be that girl who is always stressing about what to wear or how I look. I don't want to be that girl who cannot go out because I don't look my best.

I want to be that girl who is confident in who I am and who I am supposed to be. Because, honestly, I know that I am loved just the way I am. And guess what -- so are you! Who cares if you wear a baggy t-shirt and shorts every day. Who cares if you don't put on makeup and straighten your hair. You are exactly how you are supposed to be and it is time you own up to it. News flash, people -- you are beautiful.

You will soon realize there are more important things in this world than what jean size you are. Embrace your imperfections and remember BE.You.tiful.