Have you ever been out somewhere and suddenly someone says the words "You're so skinny, do you even eat?" "You're so boney", or "Wow you put on a lot of weight." "You've gotten so much bigger since the last time I saw you."

Those simple words can have a bigger impact on a person than most know. You immediately feel embarrassed (if you are in a crowd), and all of your insecurities suddenly feel like they are under a magnifying glass.

For a long time, I hated the way my body looked. I couldn't stand how skinny I was, or how much smaller I was compared to other girls. Everywhere I went, there was someone making comments about my weight. I began to feel extremely self-conscious and completely insecure.

I was giving people so much power over the way I felt about myself. And that was because I didn't love me, and I wasn't thinking for myself. I was seeing myself through the eyes of other people. And rather than appreciating the positive things that would be said, I focused heavily on the negative.

It wasn't until my sophomore year of college that I realized just how unhealthy my thinking was. And that people's words can only make you feel bad if you allow them to. We live in a society where having the perfect hour glass figure is ideal, and everything else falls short. But that is only a concept that causes us to unnecessarily compare ourselves to others.

Instead of seeing yourself through other people's eyes, look in the mirror and tell yourself that you are perfect and beautiful the way you are. If you want to change your appearance in any way, do it because it is something YOU want to do for the right reasons. Don't jeopardize your health trying to mold yourself into society's standard of beauty.

Most importantly, work hard to accept and love everything about yourself (especially your flaws) so that no one can use them against you. Stop comparing yourself to others and begin paying attention to and appreciating all of YOUR beautiful qualities.