Hi! My name is Megan! I wrote this piece because I feel like there is so many people out in the world that don't understand their worth. Being okay with who you are as a person is the first step to being self-motivated, self-sufficient, and most importantly, happy! I think it's time for you to look in the mirror and say, "I am enough. Also I'm kinda cute." Theres nothing wrong with having a little confidence! Now I'm definitely not talking about being conceited. Now for my story, it's a bit anti-climatic but stay with me.

Flashback to middle school, I was tall and athletic and food was probably one of my favorite things in the world. I remember being a 6th grader and looking around and noticing that I didn't look like the other girls.

They were small and cute (well as cute as you can be as a 6th grader) and acted way older. I remember being uncomfortable with the way I looked. The more I hated my body, the more I ate, then the more I hated my body. It was a horrible cycle. Fast forward to high school, I was still insecure about my body.

I was still different from other girls! I was awkward and I hid for a long time. I wished someone would look through what I saw in the mirror and love me, but I couldn't even love myself! Unknowingly, my insecurities about my body overflowed into my personal life. I felt like friends judged me for what I looked like and don't even get me started on boys (high school boys are disgusting creatures!) I felt so badly about myself that I let people treat me like how I felt about myself, trash. That makes for a not very fun time in high school. But don’t get me wrong, I had amazing friends what definitely loved me through my rough patches. Sometimes I still felt like I wasn’t enough.

Fast forward to now, I'm (technically) a sophomore in college. I have a job, new friends, and a boyfriend. My life is a lot different from my high school and middle school days. What's so different? I'm okay with being me. I'm okay with wearing a tank top and some shorts.

I'm okay with not wearing makeup. I'm okay with wearing a bikini (for the first time ever!) It took me a long time to get to where I am now, don't get me wrong. I can't stress how much better I feel when I know that loving myself is okay. Please don't think that the way you look affects your opportunity to make friends. Love yourself because no matter how your life ends, you will be by yourself. So what I'm saying is... buy that dress. Try that new makeup out, dye your hair, wear those cute shorts out into the world. Confidence is true beauty and no one can take that from you. AMEN!!!