As a twenty-year-old female who has grown up in a society that has always painted the picture perfect women on magazine covers and billboards, and now on Instagram posts and websites, there is something that I have come to realize.

It is no secret either.

There is one "ideal" body type after the other.

First, it was "skinny", and then it was "thick," and thankfully, I firmly believe that we are on our way to embracing people regardless of their body type.

*Insert cheerful, celebratory applause here*

Yet there is also the whole hair thing. We are constantly taught our hair is not shiny enough, long enough, pretty enough. This is done through once again that image of the ideal women and the marketing of products that are meant to make us look "better."

Then we are taught that we are too tall, or too short, or too this or too that.

And we are taught that we are "too awkward", or way too energetic and loud, or not athletic enough, or too masculine, or too sassy, or far too shy.

And these thoughts start infiltrating our minds and spilling in from every which direction.

We have taken the very things that set us apart and filtered it to match the needs of the world around us.

My friends, let's stop this madness.

For the love of chocolate chip cookies, can we all just agree that we as human beings are not all the same?

We have different beliefs, different interests, different families, different backgrounds, and an abundance of cultures in this world of ours! And my friends, thank the good Lord they aren't going anywhere! We have got to start loving people and loving those things that are making us unique human beings.

Please contribute to making this world a brighter place by being a little bit nicer to your weaknesses. Don't see things you can't change as something negative. I mean seriously, even if you might think your nose is a little too big or that your hair is a little too frizzy, those around you don't really give a single care in the world about your frizz.

So you are little anti-social? Get the downtime you need to recharge, the Earth can and will keep on spinning.

What would happen to the generations to come if we started to talk kindly about both ourselves and the ladies around us?

What if we said the words, "I love your hair" without wishing that we too had their hair?

What if we were a little kinder and a little less envious?

Oh, how things would begin to change.

I am most definitely guilty of scrolling through someone's feed and wishing I looked like them. I am most definitely guilty of looking towards the girl next to me and wishing I had the relationship (You know the "Insta-worthy relationship) that she does.

However, if I am being really honest here, all of that comparison just leads me to park myself on the couch and have a pity party.

I am not her and neither are you and that is why it is alright to embrace those things that do make us unique. We can recognize that we have been given these specific traits for some reason and they don't make us ugly, or bad, they make us, us and that is pretty dang cool.

Use your strengths and accept the compliments as they come. Heck, look in the mirror and even compliment yourself every now and then! Yet, also spread that kindness around like crazy. Tell people when you love their outfit and let them know when you see something in them that sets them apart and makes them unique.

Gals, this world needs more positivity and less shaming. Speak kindly of yourself and those around you!