It's Okay To Just Be You | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

It's Okay To Just Be You

Stop Comparing Yourself!

11
It's Okay To Just Be You
Camera Roll

It’s painfully difficult not to begrudge certain aspects of your body, your personality, and everything in between. Every girl knows this. Even the guys of our generation are coming to understand this pressure. There is this preposterous standard set for us in regards to what we look like, what we drive, how we act, what clothes we wear and countless more-but what’s even worst? We set this unachievably high standard ourselves. It wasn’t until I caught myself doing it the night six sororities walked into the restaurant where I work that I decided-enough is enough. Why do we feel the need to constantly compare ourselves to those around us? Why does it seem impossible to fully love our bodies and all of the other wonderful things that make up our character?

These are both questions I had a difficult time answering, and an even harder time trying to convey to the rest of the world. I know from my own personal experience when I wake up every morning, I look at myself in that mirror hanging in my bathroom and critique myself worse than Chef Gordon Ramsay does the cooks on Hell’s Kitchen. What I don’t do? I never once have reminded myself of all the beautiful and unique things about myself. I couldn’t even begin to tell you why this is but now every morning: I wake up, I brush the terrible knots out of my hair, remove the yucky goop from my eyes, brush my teeth, stare straight into that mirror that once appeared so daunting and give myself four compliments. The compliments differ each and every morning. While this seems like a rather odd way to boost my self-confidence, it has one of the biggest impacts on my day and has ultimately helped alter the way I see myself.

While the self-given compliments may seem silly to those of you reading who insist you have unwaivered self-confidence, it works for me and may even work for others struggling with similar problems. See the fact of the matter is, everyone has insecurities. They’re inevitable and rather than being ashamed of them, we should be embracing them. So that’s what I am going to do, I am going to list off all the wonderful things that make me Erin Ashley Cone, all of the things I once thought I needed to conceal and I encourage everyone reading this to do the same.

  • I read entirely too much, and yes if I could I would live in Barnes and Nobles.
  • I am actually a size six- not a size four like I have always told my friends and relatives. I’ll pick a cheeseburger over thinner thighs every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
  • I think my belly button is too big and abnormally deep. Yes I know, odd, but who in the world even has a “nice” belly button? It’s literally a hole in your stomach.
  • I have freckles. Everywhere. I love them. My mother refers to them as “fairy footprints”, so Hah! The fairies love me a great deal more than most.
  • I am so pale you can see my veins. Hey, it works for me, it makes my green eyes and plum colored hair look amazing.
  • My laugh sounds like a witch cackling in the night on her broom stick. It’s actually quite impressive and is in high demand when Halloween rolls around.
  • My sister and my boyfriend are my best friends. I always seemed to yearn for this massive group of girl friends who did anything and everything together, and often took for granted how wonderful it is to have two people know you inside and out. Plus, less drama- there’s enough drama on Grey’s Anatomy for me, I can do without my own.
  • My eyebrows are never on “fleek”. They’re eyebrows. I am completely content with the “unfleekness” of them.
  • My left leg is a tad bit shorter than my right. My parents and close friends think I am bonkers and being a complete hypochondriac, but once upon a time I noticed it and used to be petrified that someone else would notice too. Now?-I tend to agree with my parents and chalk it up to the fact that I had a flare for the dramatics and hardly pay attention to it myself.
  • I have a subtle yet visible stain on the bottom of my two front teeth. This to me was my number one insecurity. The stain was caused due to the three years I wore braces and prevented me from showing that rather pricey smile for entirely too long. Now, I will never stop cheesing.

It is hard to love yourself, and even more so in a society that throws around the “perfect image” a little too often. This is not an excuse for us to demean our own image, our own personality, and even our own existence. We are all imperfectly perfect. I am over the self-hate, the constant comparing of myself to every girl that walks by me. I am all about me, myself and I and you should be all about you. It doesn’t matter who or what you are-white, black, green, small, large, skinny, thick, dumb, smart, too smart, too dumb- because there is only ONE you. So own it. All of it.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

444074
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

17605
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

42124
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

7 Types Of Students You Will Meet In College

You wish you could be #5, but you know you're probably a #6.

21602
cool group of lazy college students in class
StableDiffusion

There are thousands of universities around the world, and each school boasts its own traditions and slogans. Some schools pride themselves on sports, while others emphasize their research facilities. While there is a myriad of differences among each and every school, there will always these seven types of students in class.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Rhyme Without Reason Greek Life Function Ideas

When you have no ideas for what to wear to this date function

322028
A dog and a frog
Healthy Pets

I am going to a rhyme without reason date function and I have looked at so many different rhyming words and I figured there need to be a new list of words. At these functions, there are usually at least two rockers and boxers and an umpteenth amount of dogs and frogs. I have come up with a list of creative and unique ideas for these functions.

If you like what you see, get a shopping cart going with these costumes.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments