Has anyone ever said to you? You should try to be more like “so and so”? You would be so pretty if you lost some weight. I think this hairstyle (fill in the blank) would look so good on you. Why do you dress like that? Walk like this… No point in you trying out for that, you won’t get chosen.
As a teenager I struggled with feeling okay with myself. I felt confident about some things, I knew I smart, that I was talented & creative but issue had to do with my body image. I was short and a bit thicker than my school peers. Although I may have only been15 to 20 pounds overweight, the messages that got were that I wasn’t good enough despite excelling academically. It took a few years but I learned self acceptance by rebelling against others opinion of me.
A few things I learned along the way

1-You matter!

2- Find something that you like about yourself.

3-It’s okay to be an individual, don’t give in to pressure to conform to the crowd.

4-Learn to hear your own voice.

5-Be your truth or be true to yourself.

6-Embrace your flaws as well as your perfections.

7-Celebrate your successes.

8-Don’t sweat the small stuff or small minded people.

9-You have an opinion… Don’t be afraid to share it

Peace & blessings
Loretta