I'll try to keep this short and to the point, starting off by saying, unless you are someone who is extremely confident (go you!), the chances are you have some sort of doubts or insecurities about yourself. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon. Sure, we should all feel confident just being the unique individuals we are. But the truth is that not everyone does, and all too often, we are told that we are crazy for airing these concerns. It goes something like this: “You’re beautiful! You have nothing to worry about. You’re crazy.”
It is hard to know what to say to someone who is voicing their insecurities. You have to tread the water lightly because the way you should handle it depends on the person and the situation. Some people do simply say negative things about themselves for attention, but others really feel that way, and differentiating between the two without knowing the individual personally is difficult. Sometimes, a simple compliment is enough, and sometimes, it feels like there really isn’t much you can say. Sometimes you just don't say anything at all. But the worst thing you can do is tell someone they are crazy for what they feel.
It can be difficult to accept kind words when, so often, they are just that — words. Words spoken with no backing feel good at first, and then when you realize they have no meaning, you are right where you started, feeling empty. After a few times of this happening, you start wondering every time you receive a compliment if it is honest. You've probably heard the saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Is it crazy to think twice about something that has wronged you on more than one occasion? In any other circumstance, it would be called "learning from experience."
Although we should not rely on others to feel good about ourselves, that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard to see your own beauty when it feels like no one else does. Because actions speak louder than words, let’s start showing people their worth instead of just telling them that they are worthy. Give someone a compliment that you truly mean, or explain something that you enjoy about them or their company. It doesn't have to be about their appearance; it can be about their personality or about a certain skill that they have. Let’s put an emphasis on being kind-hearted instead of being physically appealing. Most importantly, let’s stop calling people crazy for having feelings, and acknowledge those feelings instead.
