Dear Labels...I Don't Need You

Every man and woman on this earth is exposed to this ugly dimension of what people call "labels." I feel like the common labels females are constantly exposed to live up to are these expectations of being pretty, skinny, and sensitive. Well, I've had ENOUGH of this depiction of what a female "should be." We are all different and beautiful in our own unique ways. This doesn't only happen to females of course, it certainly happens to men as well. There is this depiction that men need to be strong, brave, and daring; in other words they need to be "manly." These labels are what tear people down. We try to live our lives with this expectation of what we should be, when in reality what we should be is ourselves.

Why does society try to form depictions of what a man and a woman should look like and act like? We come in all different sizes, shapes, and personalities. And that's what makes you who you are. You are special. What matters is our happiness and how we radiate the world with who we TRULY are. So I ask you to stop living up to these ridiculous expectations of who you should be, because what matters is accepting yourself for who you are, and loving it. I know it can be hard when we may constantly compare ourselves to others, but the day you wake up and say, "I love myself" is the beginning of a journey you won't regret.

There are always going to be these constant reminders of who you should be, but it's so important to just ignore them. The media loves to commercialize how men and women should look and act, and this is something I will forever despise. We all have seen the Victorias Secret commercials, and I feel like so many girls say, "uhhhh I wanna look like that." Not gonna lie, I have been there, but then I realized these women work hard for their bodies. Of course, the media knows that that's not exactly what girls are going to think when they see these beautiful thin women strutting in lingerie. This is where the portrayal of women in a Victorias Secret commercial is what starts to bring girls to question themselves. It's this expectation of what "all" women are supposed to look like, and that is just not the case.

I constantly compared my body to others, and then I realized if I wanted a body I loved then I have to work for it. I came to this conclusion that I should want to live a healthier life, not a "skinnier life." Do something because you want to do it for yourself and your happiness. Don't just do something for the sole reason of being like someone else, or looking like someone else. Do it for YOU.

I promise you the day you embrace who you are, is truly the beginning of a journey of happiness. Who you are and who you want to be in this world is solely up to you; it's not up to the media, your parents, or your friends. It's up to YOU. Walk this world with happiness, not comparisons or depictions. Love yourself because baby you were born this way.