As a young woman living in a world of photoshopped ads and perfectly proportioned models, I can easily find myself criticizing the way that I look.

Being a woman, in general, is hard enough without the pressures of the media. We are always critiquing our bodies and judging whether or not we're good enough.

We wonder why our boobs are too big/small, we hate even the slightest bit of fat or cellulite on our stomachs or thighs and we look at our stretchmarks as ugly scars on our body.

Why do we do that? Why do we compare ourselves to other women when we know deep down that all body types are beautiful?

I think that these ideologies start in our subconscious. We're brainwashed by the media and even from clothing companies. We see these beautiful women all over the place and we subconsciously think that their bodies are beautiful and ideal. We're so conscious of our clothing sizes. Heaven forbid that you wear an extra large tee shirt or a size 16 pair of jeans!

The reality of the matter is that there really is no ideal body type. The "ideal" body type is one that is healthy and that you feel comfortable in.

It takes time to love the skin that you're in. I'm 20 years old and I still have days where I hate everything about the way that I look. I'll look at other women that I think are gorgeous, and I remember that they have insecurities too.

I think as women, we need to empower each other and remind one another of our inner and outer beauty.

Know your worth ladies! Know that you are beautiful in more ways than one!