Learn to Love Yourself

In elementary school, girls do not really seem to care about what they wear, how their hair looks, and how much they weigh. They do not seem to waste their time finding what we call “imperfections." They care more about doing their homework, being good, and having fun with their friends.

In middle school, puberty strikes. We start noticing changes in our body like our height, weight, voice, and face. Some girls start to experiment with make-up because they start to get some pimples here and there and think that maybe make up will do the trick.

In high school, we really seem to struggle accepting ourselves.

I am too skinny. I am too fat. I would be happy if I were taller, if I were shorter, if I had a smaller nose, curly hair, straight hair, long hair, big muscles.

We just never seem to be happy with what we have and most of the time that affects the way we see ourselves causing low self-esteem. Self-esteem is the confidence in one's own worth or abilities. Low self-esteem is a war that some teens fight within themselves.

You wake up in the morning and do not even want to see your own reflection. You do not want to go shopping because you will not like the way the clothes fit you. You cannot stand the fact you have pimples, and sometimes wish you looked like someone else. You start to hate the person you see in the mirror. You feel like you are the only person who has been cursed with bad luck.

We have a habit of criticizing ourselves. Why do we have trouble accepting who we are? Everyone is beautiful in their own way. Stop criticizing yourself. Stop whining of little imperfections you might have. If anything you should be more than happy that you are alive and healthy. Others who are sick would give anything to be you.

For us to be truly happy we need to accept who we are, we need to accept our imperfections, realize that nobody is perfect.

You are not alone, I have been through this road as well and I know that no matter who or how many times someone tells you how pretty or beautiful you are, you will not believe it and wish they would just be quiet. I loved who I was but I did not like the way I looked. The only thing that was bringing me down was my looks. I found imperfections and wished I looked like someone else. Every morning I saw the same girl in the mirror, a girl who had been fighting a battle with herself for many years.

I missed out on so many things because I made myself feel uncomfortable. I did not let myself have fun. I wondered how people could stand staring at me if I was an ugly beast. I had been struggling with acne for a long time now, since 7th grade. It was not like some people who are dying because they have one or two. I had pretty rough acne and I was not happy about that at all. My mom took me to a dermatologist when I was in 8th grade and when I entered 9th grade my face was clearing up. It was an awesome feeling when people noticed and asked what I was using to clear up my face. That boosted up my confidence but, still I was not satisfied with how I looked.

I was so uncomfortable with myself that whenever a guy approached me I thought he was drunk or it was a bet he made with his friends. I closed the doors when it came to letting someone in my life.

Thinking of all the things I have been through made me realize I put myself through a lot by choice because I chose not to like myself. I made myself miss out on many things because of my self-esteem issues. Today, I finally accept the person I am. I woke up one morning with the desire to be free within my body and mind. Ever since, I have been feeling great about myself. There is still something that bothers me about my body but it is not something that brings me down. It is something that can be changed with some determination and hope.

Understand you are human like everyone else. You are special and unique. It is not my job to tell you what it is, but it is your job to find out. It is important to appreciate yourself because the way you view and treat yourself will affect the way you live your life.

If there are things you want to change about yourself, do it. Do it for yourself, not for anyone else. Love everything about yourself.

Contributed by: Ashley Cuevas

International Studies Learning Center

Posted: October 21, 2011