Everyone has insecurities, even the people we perceive to be perfect or confident in who they are and who they are becoming. Being aware of this fact makes it easier for us to handle our own insecurities. It shows us that no matter what we look like, there is always going to be something we don't like about ourselves, and that is completely okay.

I see a lot of stories in the media about how to change yourself, whether it's your body or your job or you relationship. I also see a lot of people close to me question themselves or have a lack of confidence in themselves. I personally believe that a lot of people have this pressure on them to be the best version of themselves. People compare themselves a lot on social media and even in real life.

I know for a fact that I am not perfect but I am learning to manage to get to a point where I am starting to be happy with myself. I am starting to feel confident about myself as a person, my views, my morals, my personality, and my body. I know there are definitely areas I can work on and I have my moments but I'm pretty sure about who I am and what I want in life.

Anyone you add into your life is an extension of you. They are not/should not make you feel better or change you in anyway, shape, or form. This can be anyone friends, family, boyfriends, girlfriends. You need to learn to love yourself and know who you truly are before you rely on anyone to provide you with confidence and self-worth. I think a lot of people rely on others to make them feel more confident and rely on them for validation when this needs to come from you, not anyone else.

I've learned to be at peace with the idea that people will let you down and if they do, you need to be comfortable enough with yourself to know when it really is you fault and when it isn't. I learned (and still am learning) to be confident enough to not let people change me or make me feel insufficient in any way.

My mom always told me, if you love yourself it's so much easier to understand others and give love back. I believe that an understanding of what you stand for and what you believe in makes it easier to listen to other views and understand that just because they aren't yours, doesn't mean they aren't valid and that other people are entitled to their own opinions. If you're sure of yourself, it means you don't have to change your views to suit others or attempt to change others views to fit with your own. You shouldn't feel the need to flatten others to feel more sure of yourself or mimic others to feel accepted. If you're comfortable in your own skin, you don't need to copy what others do or act like anybody else or hurt others and bring them down and disown them to build yourself up.