Remember when you were 8 years old, and you woke up on Christmas morning to find a heaping pile of presents waiting for you? It didn't matter what the wrapping paper looked like or how perfectly tied the bows were. What really mattered was what the boxes had inside.
Imagine if what's inside us was the only thing that mattered. Breaking news, folks. It is.
It's better to buy shoes a little too big than too small, napping is always more enjoyable in big T-shirts, and we are mystified by big, bustling cities. But, when it comes to our bodies, we are made to think that small is the way to go. Flat, toned tummies and slim waists take precedence over flabby thighs and chubby cheeks. Defined cheekbones and jawlines are more desired than double chins and stretch marks. In fact, 60 percent of college-age girls feel pressured to be a "certain" weight. But it is unclear what this "certain" weight is. 100? 120? 150? The answers vary from person to person because no two people are the same. What may personally be an ideal weight to one person may be the total opposite to another. To my 200-or-so-pound self, 150 pounds is an ideal weight that I someday would like to get down to. To my 150-pound-friend, 120 pounds is a goal she has been working towards. If an "ideal weight" is a disputable number, then why are we so unhappy with the way we look?
Oftentimes, we don't even strive to be a certain weight. We strive to be a certain person. At one time or another you have seen a celebrity at an awards show and said to yourself "OMG can I just be her?" Unfortunately, you can't. But, you can be yourself. There is only one you in this whole world and we are so caught up in wanting to be someone else that we lose sight of what it means to be unique. We forget to celebrate what makes us special: being a good friend, our special talent of being able to name almost every song on the radio or our knack for baking the perfect cake. We need to look deeper than our less-than-perky boobs and broad shoulders. We need to squash the idea that we are unlovable because of our non-existent thigh gap. Simply, we need to take Justin Bieber's advice and love ourselves.
Next time you look at Kylie Jenner's Instagram and feel comparable to a sock, I want you to remember that her teeny tiny waist doesn't fit all. Her flat stomach doesn't fit all. Her defined chin and cheek bones don't fit all. Think about all the things inside you that make you who you are and remind yourself that no matter how big or small you are on the outside, your unique and beautiful soul on the inside is what matters most.
