From the second we wake up until the minute we go to bed, we judge ourselves. We tear ourselves down for eating that chocolate cake, we regret the smallest pizza slice we had for dinner, and think about all of the Hershey's Kisses we stole when we just couldn’t resist.

I personally struggle with this on a daily basis. Along with many other girls, I just can’t help it. It's not right, but sometimes we just feel like crap. We try to build others up, but it doesn’t always work. We try to justify what we eat with a workout, but we don't always have time to make it to the gym for an hour. That's just life.

To us girls, nothing is ever good enough. Nothing is ever healthy enough, pretty enough, stylish enough. Nothing.

So, this is for the girls who think they’re fat, for the girls who think they’re not good enough, and for the girls who don’t love themselves. Sometimes, all we really need is ourselves, others, and an inspiring little quote on our fridge to let us know that we're doing okay.

So love yourself. You are beautiful. You are good enough. Don’t change for others; only change for yourself. We live in a world where having a muffin op is actually quite normal, but we hate the way we look, so we don’t see that everyone else has the same problem of hating the way they look, too. We spend so much time frowning at ourselves and comparing ourselves to other girls that we don’t stop and make ourselves happy. We never stop judging ourselves. In fact, we never stop judging others based on ourselves: our looks, our personality, and our skills. It never stops.

We need to love ourselves. Even if it involves a whole entire chocolate cake.

I keep this article, ripped out from a Cosmopolitan magazine and put on my fridge, to remind me that I have more to worry about than what I look like, what I eat, and when I'll have time to fit in a great workout.

Jessica Migala expresses that working out after eating unhealthy isn't exactly rewarding. She explains, "That's why I've vowed to separate food from fitness. I work out to be stronger and fitter and to stay sane. I eat healthy food to feel good and maintain my weight. I also eat nutritious things, and I refuse to feel bad about it. I'm aiming to stop the self-hate in front of others- tough, since my instinct is to mock my thighs."

Why don't we all aim to do this?

No matter how many times we are told, it’s important to know that we're not alone in the way we feel every day. Some girls won’t admit it, but it's evident that we all think about it. We don’t always love ourselves; sometimes, we just don’t. We all have bad days.

But there is no reason why bad days should turn into bad weeks, bad months, or years.

So, have that chocolate cake if it makes you happy. Have ten slices if that makes you happier. Have it with ice cream if that makes you the happiest. Everyone deserves to be happy, and wasting our time being miserable about ourselves is so not worth it.

Gaining ten extra pounds won’t stop you from traveling the world, being successful, and trying new things. It won’t stop you from being you. It won’t stop you from applying for that job you’ve always wanted or buying that dress you've loved for weeks.

This life is about making yourself happy. Don’t spend years living your life dwelling on others or making others happy.

So be you, and be happy that you’re you. Turns out, there is only one of you.

...And you don't have to work off that cookie.