“I can’t think of any better representation of beauty other than someone who isn’t afraid to be herself.” – Emma Stone
Beauty is more than just what is seen on the outside. True beauty comes from the ability to be your authentic self with ease & confidence. Social media has flaunted these public figures to compare ourselves to, so when we think of beauty the first thing that comes to mind is, “I should look like them to be considered beautiful.” Wrong. We should simply be ourselves, & love the person we are even if we aren’t completely happy with what we see on the outside or other characteristics.
For a few years now, I have struggled to be 100% comfortable with myself — my body, sexuality, the way I never really fit in with most people where i’m from, etc. No matter how confident I portrayed myself to be, I have never accepted all of my insecurities . It took a lifetime to get to the point where I admired my flaws & accepted my past mistakes & experiences. I had to realize that all of the aspects about myself that I didn’t like were what made me who I am.
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Your time is limited, so why waste it living a life that isn’t yours? Why waste it hiding who you truly are? I’ve cried untold tears from beating myself up about who I am as a person, not just about my physical appearance. I’m sure every girl has. There’s been days where I look at myself in the mirror & just didn’t want to be me anymore. I’ve made mistakes that I wish I didn’t, but those mistakes have been turned into meaningful lessons that have helped build me. Take life day by day. Do not dwell on the past & live with regrets. You have to learn to love yourself & accept yourself before anyone else can accept you for who you are. Embrace yourself because there’s only one you, & you’re stuck with yourself forever.
Try to avoid comparison. Comparing yourself to others will push you even further away from accepting who you are & what you have. I catch myself doing this so often. I’ll spend so much time lurking on a model’s profile or some fashion influencer, & I’ll end up making myself feel like I’m on the bottom. Comparison creates shame. You’ll start feeling ashamed of your circumstances because you don’t have as much as someone else or because you don’t feel as pretty. Where you’re at in life is where you’re supposed to be. You are beautiful the way you are, so believe it! Avoid talking negatively about yourself. For some reason it’s easier to say negative things about ourselves than it is to admit some positive things. Try not to overthink past mistakes you may have made or situations that you could’ve handled differently. It’s possible to learn & grow from those experiences. Accept your past. Forgive yourself. Stop beating yourself up!
Try to remind yourself of some things that you do like about yourself! List them out, put them on your mirror with a dry erase marker, or make sticky notes to stick on places you see many times throughout the day. Flip your negative comments into positive affirmations that you can speak into existence. Be yourself no matter where you are or who you’re in front of with ease. If someone doesn’t like you for you, then that’s their own mistake. When people see that you’re confident in who you are, they will look at you differently.
Look at beauty in a different way. Create YOUR definition. The definition of beauty extends much further than what is physical. When it seems to be difficult to accept who you are, remember what to avoid & what to focus on. Learn to not stress over things that are out of your control & that you can’t change. Be in control of loving yourself first no matter what because you deserve to feel just as beautiful as you are!
Beauty starts in your head, not the mirror. You don’t need to change anything about your true self besides the negative thoughts in your head telling you that you aren’t the prettiest when you are yourself.