As I was scrolling through my Tumblr feed of landscapes and models, I came across one particular photo of a young girl. She looked to be my age, 18, maybe younger or older. But I was taken back by her beauty.
Her skin was smooth and blemish free, her hair light and fluffy. All that ran through my head when I saw her was how I wished I could look like her. I want soft, shiny hair and clear skin. I want someone to stop and look at me for a moment, in awe of my beauty. And then it hit me... why? Where is the fun in being so perfect? (Though perfect does not exist, there is a flaw in even the prettiest of people). My imperfections make me unique and interesting. I stand out from the crowd because I don't look like everyone else. Why does it seem like I have been trained to look at this girl and not just simply admire her looks and move on, but to obsess and think less of myself because of her? She is undoubtedly a beautiful person, but that does not mean I am not.
Today's society has a very broken and crooked message for the youth. While watching television, one commercial could tell its viewers to be themselves and find their own true beauty, then the next is promoting a model and her toned body. Though they may not directly say, "Hey, you need look like this," it is clear that image is considered ideal to them. It is a constant back and forth fight and it affects the young people of the modern world immensely.
Every young person, girls and boys alike, struggle with how they are supposed to feel. Sometimes it's very easy to look in the mirror and truly love what's staring back at you. But the next day it's like everything changes, and you begin to pick out every tiny flaw that you can find in yourself. I believe that we are taught this. From a young age, a very unrealistic standard of beauty has been instilled in this generation. With the growth of technology and social media, it has become easier than ever to access photos and ads that promote this "ideal look" which includes a size zero waist, 32-inch bust and D size breasts.
For boys, it is a "V" shaped torso, six pack, bulky arms and a chiseled jawline. Any logical person will realize that this is not achievable for most without some serious plastic work being done. Though some may naturally look this way by genetics and luck, the average size for a person is not close to the sought after appearance.
For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with this myself. It is very easy to feel insignificant and small when you see a picture of a touched up, professionally trained model. But as I have grown older, my mind has cleared I have become an advocate for the notion that every single person is beautiful in their own right. There are no set standards for beauty. Whether you are a size zero or a size 12, you are you. You are a gorgeous creation who should feel proud to be who you are. You have flowers growing inside of you and a million different amazing things swirling in your mind. Embrace your blemishes, scars or your thin hair. Remember that everyone gets cellulite and stretch marks, even those celebrities you look up to so much. You should never feel like you have to change yourself to be loved by someone — if you do, they are not the one.
This altered sense of attractiveness broadcast by the media is nothing more than a lie to make you buy their products and fit into the social norm. As cliché as the saying is, you need to always be yourself. Don't let these big businesses win you over and make you change yourself to fit into there sample sizes and look like their rich models.
Never let the words of a big-name magazine or a store ad change who you are as a person—inside or out. Let it be known that the world is changing, and the impractical idea of beauty is changing too. Everyone should look in the mirror and smile big at what they see because there is a lot to be happy about when it comes to your reflection.
