I don't want to write this because I want to get all sappy and lame and tell you that "you're beautiful from the inside out" - but I can't help but believe that that's a little bit true. Please, please, please don't roll your eyes at me. Okay, fine. You're totally allowed to roll your eyes at me, because I feel you. I really do. However, I don't know you, whoever you are, reading this. But I know for a fact that there is something genuine about yourself - unless, of course, you're a serial killer or something . . . that wouldn't be cool at all. Anyways, I'm here to make you feel validated. I'm here to remind you that you are not alone in the whole insecurity department, because you're just not. It's easy to get so caught up in what's by society's standards, beautiful. Our mom's tell us that we're beautiful, but we think they're just biased because, well, it's our mom. But when we get that moment to delve into a fashion magazine, or watching that TV series with the extraordinary gorgeous girl, we want to crawl into a hole. It's not necessarily because we're shallow, and all we care about is being physically appealing. (I'm a romantic, so personality is important to me too, don't worry) No, it's not about that really. It's what our culture has done to us, and how being skinny has been this never-ending desire, regardless of what the circumstances or even the consequences entail. We didn't do this to each other - commercials, corporations, industries, they've all done this to us. They've all brainwashed us into thinking that being thin and petite with blonde hair and big blues eyes is the only way to go. That being pale is ugly, and being tanned and toned is "where it's at", and "what men want". How would they know what all men want? For goodness sake, there are approximately 1.65 billion people in the world - how dare they assume. Alright, I'm done being overly dramatic in attempts to seem humorous . . .

But I'm going to try and be serious, now.

If you feel the slightest big ugly, or disgusting - stop. Okay, no. I'm not going to say that because I know that it's not that simple. You can't just look at someone and tell them to stop feeling something. Sorry, I'm rambling again. I guess I just want you to embrace what you have, regardless of whether or not they reach the beauty standards in, specifically, the western hemisphere. And I know I am the last person to try and convince someone that they're beautiful and more amazing than they give themselves credit for, and that's because I am the queen of self deprecation.

Let me just break it down and be real for a second.

I don't like my body. I am not a teenager anymore, I realize that. I can't eat whatever I want anymore, I have a chubby belly, and I have stretch marks - stretch marks. Every time I look at them, I try and tell myself that those flaws and imperfections are beautiful and unique, but good old society doesn't make it any easier. Ever since I turned twenty-one years old, I haven't been feeling the best about myself. I've been telling myself that I am going to "eat better", "go on a diet", "quit drinking soda", and to "exercise more". I even spent $100 on a gym membership at my campus and hardly used it. I guess it was the thought that counted, but that still didn't make a difference - because here I am, feeling the most uncomfortable with myself than I ever have in my twenty-two years of living on this planet. I really do have goals, and I'm tired of looking in the mirror and wanting to break it - the mirror, I mean. But I'm not in the mood for seven years of bad luck, either. But I digress. I just hope you know where I'm coming from, and I'm going to change. I really am. And if I can, so can you - regardless if I know you or not.

You probably wanted to read this article in hopes of words of wisdom, or something along those lines - not me babbling away about my own insecurities and dark thoughts regarding my body. But that's the whole point, for you to understand the things that go on in my mind. But while I am expressing myself in this authentic, non sugarcoated way, I want you to also recognize that I want to change. And guess what? I'm not going to do it for society, I'm not going to do it for men, I'm not going to do it for anyone else, but for me. For once, I want to feel healthy, and to focus more on that health than what my body actually looks like.

If you're reading this and you feel even the least bit insecure, don't forget about the people who are right there with you. But the important thing to remember, is deciding whether or not you want to change - for yourself.