I'm never shocked when a man uses a woman for her body. I'm never shocked when I hear that someone's boyfriend cheated on them. I'm never shocked when one of my friends gets their heart broken, and is left feeling worthless. I'm never shocked to see girls desperately searching to feel some sort affection and attention from a man.

It's nothing atypical, because these incidents are normal. They aren't unusual occurrences - and that is simply unacceptable.

I find myself wondering why so many young women settle for a man who treats her like absolute trash. Why does she want to be with him? Why does she settle? Why doesn't she realize her self-worth?

It doesn't make sense.

However, what does make sense is the connection between a man's respect for a woman and a woman's respect for herself. The insecurities women are constantly plagued with regarding their looks/bodies/personalities/reputations/etc. explain the reasoning behind these issues with both self-worth and self-respect.

It pains me to hear my friends talk about how they "look too fat" in an outfit, or "aren't as pretty" as some other girl in the bar. Even I, a total #knowyourworth advocate, find myself criticizing any flaw that I see in the mirror. It's no secret that the media has ruined the world's expectations of how women are "supposed to look," and consequently ruined the confidence of so many.

The daily expectations that women are challenged to meet are not only ridiculous, but literally impossible. Sorry, but it isn't realistic to look like a cute, yet sexy, barbie doll ready for her close-up every moment of every day.

Yet, these are the same reasons that we settle for less than we deserve. These are the reasons we go looking for approval from any boy who will give it to us. These are the reasons we don't understand our self worth.

LADIES, let me just come out and tell you that you are worth more than anything in this world. You are so intelligent and so unique and so beautiful and so powerful and simply bursting with an incredible personality.

As someone who has experienced firsthand the negative effects of allowing a boy to validate my identity and confidence, I find myself wanting to scream "know your self worth" to every one of my friends. I desperately want to instill into their brains that they are far more valuable than silver and gold.

Our understanding of the term "self-worth" has become so skewed, because everyone has scars; everyone has been hurt in one way or another. Therefore, we settle, because we don't think that we deserve better.

At the root, it truly is a confidence issue. You have to learn to love yourself first, before you can fully love and be loved in return. Because we are so prone to judge ourselves, this is never an easy thing to master. Loving yourself is the most challenging relationship of all.

Strive to be confident in yourself, because you are more powerful, strong, intelligent, radiating, deserving, and worthy than you will ever know.

Don't settle for a boy, when you deserve a man.

"You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you." Solomon 4:7