When I was in high school, my self-esteem was very low. I masked it with a seemingly confident personality, but deep down I did not think very highly of myself. Not many boys showed interest in me, but I questioned why anyone would. I didn't feel beautiful. I thought I needed to be thinner, have better skin, and wear cuter clothes.

I focused on the negative things about myself rather than the things I did like about myself.

I didn't identify my issues with self-esteem for what they were until I got to college. I realized how messed up my self-image had been and still was. I would spend so much time looking in the mirror, mentally pointing out what was wrong with my appearance. I didn't understand why anyone would find me attractive.

Comparison was a regular part of my day. I compared myself to every girl I met. Whether it was out of feelings of superiority or inferiority, it was never out of love. The people I compared myself to the most were actually my closest friends.

One thing I've learned from struggling with comparing myself to others is that it has the potential to hurt your friendships. It turns friends into rivals. Instead of loving each other, you compete for attention and approval.

Underneath the everyday conversations, there could be a raging competition.

Beneath the superficial, there could be a secret desire for the other to mess up or fail.

This desire comes from a place of deep self-consciousness and wanting others to fail so you can feel better about yourself. It's insane that we can love someone and secretly be happy when things don't work out for them. I'm ashamed that I've had thoughts like this, but I don't think I'm alone in this. To put an end to comparison, we must be confident in ourselves. Only then can we be genuinely happy for the success of others.

As C.S Lewis said, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It's thinking of yourself less." Instead of thinking so much about ourselves, regardless of whether these are positive or negative thoughts, we should instead direct our thoughts and attention toward others.

Each person is unique, with different gifts and abilities. It's wrong to say you are any better or worse than someone else. You are simply different. If we were all the same, that would just be boring.

I used to feel worse about myself just by noticing beauty in someone else. But, there is not a finite amount of beauty in the world. One person's beauty does not take away from another's. Every person is beautiful. I know that is cliché, but it's true. Each person exhibits different qualities that make them beautiful.

Comparison must come to an end. We must celebrate the unique beauty within each of us.