Have you ever looked in a mirror and hated what you see? Is there a freckle there you wish would disappear? Your natural eye color is perhaps a little dull. Maybe you think you’re too large in your abdomen. Are your hands too small/large for your liking? We all have something that we’re insecure about.

While I may be insecure about my appearance every now and then, I’ve certainly gained confidence in what features I have been gifted with. If I had to change one thing about myself, it wouldn’t be my button nose or my rounded jawline. Of all my features, I would change my smile. Surprised? For someone who is almost always smiling you might not think I am insecure about my smile, but I am.

From the sidelines, I watched as my peers all got metallic braces and colorful bands adhered to their imperfect teeth. Sometimes they’re not completely necessary, but nearly everyone around me had braces or retainers in middle school or early high school. Now they all have such straight, white, perfect teeth. Their smiles shine and make an impression, but mine? I have mineral deposits and yellow spots that never go away no matter how hard I brush or how often. I have little uneven gaps between my top and bottom rows. I am ashamed of my teeth and yet I still smile.

Dr. Seuss famously said, ¨Why fit in when you were born to stand out?¨ Nothing could more accurately describe how we should go about life with our individual insecurities. In the New Year, I propose that we all begin to accept our flaws. Ask yourself: If you looked exactly how you wanted to would you be content or find something new to dislike? It's time to forget our flaws and begin to display our differences proudly.