Have you ever sat in front of a mirror critically analyzing every little detail of the face that stares back at you? Have you ever been sitting in a lecture and found yourself comparing what you look like with the girl who sits across the room? Have you ever found yourself taking a shower just so you can cry without anyone knowing?

If you answered yes to any, or all, of these questions, don’t worry — you’re not alone.

Throughout high school, and even now in college, I’ve always felt this sense of inadequacy in who I was or how I looked. Insecurities ate at me constantly. I did everything I could to compensate for the areas where i found fault in myself. Causing me to doubt myself even more. Guys didn’t want to date me because I wasn’t pretty or skinny enough? No problem, I did my best to be the best friend I could. I wasn’t smart enough to make straight A’s? Don’t worry, I made up for it with extracurriculars and coaching.

Now, you’d think that I’d find happiness in my friends and my hobbies, but the cold hard truth is that people will fail you and you just have to be ready to pick yourself up.

No, this isn’t a piece to make you feel like there’s no hope, because trust me — I’ve been there, and it sucks. I’m here to tell you there is hope. You don’t have to feel broken beyond repair.

It was an ordinary Friday. My best friend and I were just walking around goofing off, wasting time because it was the weekend and we had finished classes for the week. I wasn't expecting to find anything life changing in our window shopping adventure, but low and behold I did.

We had walked into the store for the museum we have on campus, merely because my friend had seen cardstock that she just had to look at. Well, I’m glad she dragged me in there. There was a notebook right before you walked out and on the cover was the most inspiring message I’d ever read. The image on the cover there was a picture of a bowl that had some obvious cracks that had been repaired and put on display for all to see. It was a depiction of a process used in Japan where when an object is broken they fix it with gold so that the object can continue to be used and its broken parts are what makes it unique.

I’d never really thought of my weaknesses being my strengths before, yet here it was laid out in front of me. The truth is that no matter how broken we feel, the parts of us that make us “broken” are what makes us different, yes, but not in the same way that we typically think of being different. Just as the Japanese do, we need to begin to view ourselves as significant and beautiful despite the breaks and cracks that life leaves us with.

Don’t let the outward facade of those around you who seem to be perfect make you feel lesser than you truly are. Accept your brokenness and use it to make you stronger.