We are our biggest critics, and we’re our own worst enemies. I don’t know why or when it starts for young girls, but at a certain point, we start to look in the mirror and hate everything we see. We worry what the rest of the world sees, so we assume the worst.
For a very close friend of mine, her self-image is awful. She’s one of the most beautiful, honest, hilarious people I know, and yet, she sees herself as the opposite. Any compliment she’s given, she either just shrugs away or refuses to accept. It breaks my heart because regardless of the pep talks I give her, the number of times I remind her she’s beautiful or how much time she spends on getting herself ready, she can never see herself in a positive way. I’ve tried countless times to help her, but it seems that there isn’t anything I can say.
What if there was a way to change and help future generations? In order to change the way girls see themselves, we have to change the way we think. We constantly glorify physical traits like body weight, skin, height and hair. There’s nothing wrong with complimenting these features, but imagine the difference it would make if we changed the topic of conversation. We could compliment intelligence, kindness and the risks we take. Not only would it help with making a more positive self-image, but we would focus less on our physical appearance. Imagine all the things that could be done with the time we spend getting ready every morning, things much more productive than putting on a face full of makeup.
While there’s nothing wrong with feeling good about the way you look, it’s important to remember not all girls can feel this way. Let’s start to focus on what matters – what’s inside – and the things we can do. Let’s empower girls by teaching them to be smart, courageous and kind, not by teaching them what’s only skin deep.
