If you approach the most beautiful person that you know, I can almost guarantee that they will tell you at least 3-4 things they would like to improve or change on their body. It’s a shame that today we live in a world where a majority of women (myself included) are not happy with their body and have to constantly try to change and be like others in order to feel accepted and like they are good enough. We shouldn’t have to live up to anyone else’s standards but our own.

Having a positive body image about oneself can take years and years to develop. But with a little bit of support, we can all help each other out and try to eliminate the superficial standards by remembering these few things.

Everybody (and body) is different and unique.

No one in this world is made equal to another yet we all strive to have the physical attributes of a flawless human being who simply just does not naturally exist. It’s important for young girls especially to grow up knowing that just because they don’t have a certain look or physical feature means that they aren’t beautiful in their own way. This is such a tragic struggle that many young girls, and even adults, are facing day-to-day.

The women you see on TV and in magazines are not real.

Everyday we are constantly surrounded by the “ideal image” of what a woman should look like whether it be in magazines, in a store’s window, or even on public transportation. For some reason, we like to look up to these photoshopped and artificial beings because it’s what the media emphasizes what we all should look like in the first place. No one is perfect and these people we continuously see are only bought and made to look that way.

If you don’t like what you see, only you have the power to change that.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said,

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

In those few words, she stressed the importance of having self-confidence and a positive attitude about oneself. To this day those words still stand true but many have forgotten or lost their way because of the daily standards we try to meet in order to fit in. We have to remember that only we have the power and control to change our mindsets and get to where we want to be. Our minds tend to be our number one enemy and obstacle in this regard.

You are beautiful just the way you are.

People are all born with their own set of unique characteristics and that is what makes each and everyone of us beautiful. Everyone is beautiful in their own way so instead of striving to be like this supreme and fabricated ideal image, we should all celebrate and love the unique qualities and attributes that we already possess. Support from one another can go such a long way and can create a new environment where everyone can feel accepted.

“Step away from the mean girls...and say bye-bye to feeling bad about your looks. Are you ready to stop colluding with a culture that makes so many of us feel physically inadequate? Say goodbye to your inner critic, and take this pledge to be kinder to yourself and others.” --Oprah Winfrey