All of October I spent my time submitting poems about self-love to the Odyssey. I could spend all of November, December, and probably the better half of 2017 writing about how important it is to be confident in yourself and love your body. It is something that just isn’t stressed enough in our current society possibly because we have forgotten about its importance. I am not sure why or when this value was lost but it is something that needs to be restored. Confidence isn’t something you are born with, it is something you must acquire over time, if you let yourself.

I left high school before my junior year to do cyber school, for those of you who knew me my freshman and sophomore year you can agree when I say I am a COMPLETELY different person now. Now I know a lot of people say that they have changed and mostly it is in appearance but my character has changed to. I now can walk out of my house confident in whatever I am wearing, with or without makeup, or hair up with my sideburns showing. I was made this way and have learned that every inch of me is perfect and no one can tell me otherwise.

Now let’s talk about what infuriates me and makes my blood boil like no other. Obviously part of self-love and confidence is not letting others words bother you, however it has taken a while for me to get to the point of not letting those words break me and I know it isn’t an easy level to reach. So whenever people have the audacity to say something rude or hurtful it confuses me and makes me extremely upset. Like how dare you open your mouth and mention something that might possibly make someone feel bad about themselves? Even if it is the smallest thing? Confidence may not have been stressed in school but I know for a fact that in every grade you were taught to think before you speak and not say something if you even think it MIGHT hurt someone’s feelings. It is so easy to break someone down, the wall of confidence is built with bricks and those words are like sledgehammers going straight for the bottom so they can make that wall collapse.

However, there must be ways in which we can rebuild these smashed bricks easily. I believe one way is girl power. By standing together and encouraging one another to stay strong and help see each other’s potentials and beauty to the fullest extent we can each regain the confidence we need and desire. I believe it is also extremely important to make sure we do not depend on others approval for our looks. Why are those opinions that are spoken of us by our peers held to a higher standard than the own words that come out of our own mouths? Where did we learn that the way others perceive us is the only way that matters?

When we stop searching for others acceptance and can accept ourselves we can be more content as to who we are meant to be and will be able to fulfill our potential.

I am fortunate enough to have grown up in a positive environment that allowed me to take these comments and let them help me grow as a person and teach me to have thick skin. Not all days were easy and I went through some pretty rough times because I didn’t think I was “accepted” into society. However, I outgrew the need to be accepted with the help of my parents and peers. I know not everyone is as lucky as me and therefore I would like to spread the message of confidence to every girl/guy out there. But confidence and self-love and knowing your worth isn’t luck, it isn’t from coming from a wealthy family, it isn’t having the latest clothes or shoes, it is something that comes from you. Something that builds inside of you, that you let foster in your heart and soul, something that wants to be there if you will let it. Allow yourself to be happy, allow yourself to be kind to your body, and allow yourself to be cocky. Let yourself shine and let yourself beam, because you are the only one who stands in the way of you loving yourself and you trying to love yourself. Accept what you were created with because you are homemade, and know you can change the things you want but won’t be happy unless those changes are for yourself. Be you and love you.

DISCLAIMER I know you should always practice what you preach and I can most definitely say I am guilty of not always following my own rules but I am working on it and I think that by talking about it and spreading the message it will help me to be a better person. It is easy to know what to do, but hard to actually do it.