Every girl experiences those "typical teenage girl problems" like the ones that get posted on social media. However, there are many problems girls face that damage their self-confidence, make them feel insecure, and negatively impact their life. I can't say that I've really ever read anything that has put me down or made me feel bad about myself, but I do have friends that have gone through this. It isn't easy watching people you care about face something as heart-breaking as this and I can't imagine going through it myself. Here are 5 truths that every teenage girl needs to hear.
1. You are beautiful.
“You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.” Song of Solomon 4:7
No matter if you’re tall or short, thin or thick, you are BEAUTIFUL. You shouldn’t care about what society says about what you look like. If you do, then you’re probably caring too much. You don’t have to be just like everyone else. That’s boring. Be yourself. It’s a lot easier to just be you instead of trying to be someone you aren’t. Plus, God made you to be you just the way you are and He doesn’t make mistakes.2. You are worth more than you'll ever know.
"A woman of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." Proverbs 31:10
You should never feel like you aren’t worth anything. When I start feeling down about myself, I always think about who would miss me if I was gone. Besides friends and family, there are plenty of people that would miss you. You are important. You have a purpose. You are here for a reason. Don’t underestimate your worth and don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t worth it. You are a gem and anyone would be lucky to know you.
3. Choose people who will push you to be a better version of yourself.
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17
This is something that I’ve struggled with for the longest time. You find a group of people you feel comfortable around and then you just stick with them because you’re comfortable. I felt this in high school, and I realized I needed to cut away people that weren’t pushing me in a positive direction or pushing me both emotionally and spiritually. Find yourself a group of people that know how to challenge you and help guide you to be the best you that you can be.
4. The amount of likes you receive or the number of followers you have shouldn't define you.
“It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from inside you—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” 1 Peter 3:3-4
Being a millennial, I realize just how much we utilize and rely on social media. We’ve gotten so caught up in how popular we can get based on the amount of likes we get on our Instagram post or the number of followers we have on Twitter. We’ve lost the ability to carry on a face-to-face conversation without checking social media every five minutes. We should be defining ourselves by our personalities and our achievements and not our Instagram likes and Twitter followers. By the way, Jesus only had 12 followers...didn't see Him complaining.
5. You are loved.
“You are loved more than you will ever know by someone who died to know you.” Romans 5:6
Love is one of the most basic and fundamental needs for humans. We all seek to be liked, loved, and appreciated. We seek love in a plethora of different things. Whether it be a significant other, your family, or your friends, love is love. But don’t ever let a day go by that you think you are unloved. God always loves you. No matter what you do or what you say, his love is unconditional. Don’t forget that loving yourself is just as important. You can’t love others until you learn to love yourself.