I love my body. Love it. Not in a narcissistic, let-me-post-a-selfie-every-hour-so-you-can-see-how-good-looking-I-am kind of way. In a God-made-me-this-way-and-He-did-good kind of way. I’m not immune to doubts or insecurities, because I am only human. However, more days than not, I am completely happy with how I look. (I have even embraced my curly hair, finally. I can’t even remember the last time I tried to fry it straight!)

How did I get to this point? Well, I’d say that my concept of self-image all started with my mother. She is the most flawlessly beautiful woman I know, but she couldn’t care less about impressing others with her looks, which has always been impressive to me, in and of itself. She spends her time selflessly, instead of focusing endlessly of her own appearance. Go momma.

Next: I attended Mercy High School in Omaha, NE. A Catholic, liberal arts, all-girls school where my self esteem was nothing but bolstered by my schoolmates and teachers. It was a wonderful place where I learned to be comfortable with myself, and that beauty has nothing to do with looks, and everything to do with heart. There were no boys to impress, and it was wonderful. I’ve found that most girls have a harder time expressing themselves around the opposite sex, and thank God and my lucky stars that my high school years involved a degree of separation from the male population. We all wore uniforms, and “dress down” days usually involved pajamas of some sort. Mercy was a truly magical place to grow.

The last piece to my body image puzzle is the way I train. I’ve been running competitively since seventh grade, and I think that becoming a runner is one of the single most important decisions that I’ve ever made. My training is intense. It’s not all lovely long runs with beautiful views and wildlife friends. Running is sweating so much that you feel like you just stumbled out of a grimy lake. It involves nursing injuries regularly. It guarantees that you will, at some point, be whimpering through ice baths. It means skipping dessert 6 days a week. It requires lifting weights when you’d rather be doing anything else. It’s year-round work.

This year-round work is one of the main reasons that I find myself feeling healthy, happy, and accomplished. It’s why I look in the mirror and smile. Because I’ve worked my butt off to make my body look the way that it does. Because 88% of me is muscle, and I love that, because I’ve earned it. I always say that I feel prettiest when I’m sweatiest, and I mean that. I take pride in fighting to become the person that I’ve always wanted to be. It’s a daily process, and my progress means so much to me. I love feeling strong, capable of anything.

I know that every girl has a different experience growing up female in this terribly fake society with absolutely unrealistic expectations for women. I’m not trying to convince you that you should pick up running (although that is always an option :), and that it will be a panacea to solve all of your problems.

I’m saying that you should find something, something that can be yours, something that you can work on/toward, something that makes you uniquely you. Uniquely beautiful. Something that makes you feel healthier, happier, and more accomplished. Be better than you’ve ever been — a better version of yourself. Do things that you never dreamed you could do. Do something that makes you a stronger person; because I think in the long haul, everyone knows that it is better to be strong than it is to be skinny, pretty, hot, popular, etc., etc.

God made you the way you are for a reason. It doesn’t matter how many boys notice you as you walk down the street. And if you’re afraid you’ll scare away a potential mate with passion, direction, determination, muscles, or, heaven-forbid, “man arms”, then that boy is not the one for you.

God made a world with sunsets, kittens, chocolate, and Chris Pine (I’ve had a crush on him since sixth grade, give me a break). He also made you, and He thinks that you are absolutely stunning. When it all comes down to it, His is the only opinion that matters anyway. Try to see yourself the way that He sees you. Be the best you that you can be. Be the strongest that you can be. Be unshakeable in your confidence. And love yourself the way God loves you.

“We get so worried about being pretty. Let’s be pretty kind. Pretty funny. Pretty smart. Pretty strong.” - Britt Nicole