I haven’t always loved myself. That was something I had to learn to do. Once I had learned to do that, it changed my life. It is common today for girls to think that they may not be “good enough.” If I could only say one thing to those girls I would say, you are more than enough.
I remember when I was going through middle school and I always compared myself to others. I wasn’t the prettiest, skinniest, or smartest. The more I compared myself to others the less I liked myself. That feeling grew and grew. Before I knew it I was depressed and wanted to be anyone but myself. I couldn’t anything about me. I constantly worried. I would be cautious with everything I did. I cared way too much about what others thought about me. The thought of not being good enough was always on my mind. The thoughts completely drained me. This had taken over my life. I always spent so much time on makeup, my hair, and deciding what to wear each day.
Before I knew it, I was not myself. I had turned into a girl who only did things to impress others. Trying to impress others every single day is very tiring. I felt that I was putting so much effort towards trying to be perfect that it was taking over my life. That was all I thought about all the time. I felt this way all the way through high school. One day when reading a devotion for teen girls I realized it is not all about how you look or impressing others.
I know it may sound cliché but It really does matter about what is on the inside. Being pure in heart goes so much further than being “pretty.” Everyone is made differently and we are all unique in our own way. You should love who you are because there is no one else like you.
I started changing things slowly. I would try not wearing as much makeup or spend so much time on my hair. Each little step I took helped me become who I am today. I had finally figured out I am who I am and it does not matter who likes it. I am so much happier and I am more successful in everything that I do. I feel important. I feel that even though I may not ever be the prettiest, skinniest, or smartest person I can still make a difference. If you are struggling to love yourself start by taking little steps. It is possible to be completely happy with who you are. It makes life so much better!
“If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better. And that makes you so happy.”
-Kristin Chenoweth
“Love who you are, embrace who you are. Love yourself. When you love yourself, people can kind of pick up on that: they can see confidence, they can see self-esteem, and naturally, people gravitate towards you.”
-Lilly Singh
