Some people are born with it and some work their whole lives to get it. "Confidence is key," they say, but what if you don't naturally have it like everyone else?

I grew up a chubby child with illnesses that sometimes affected my appearance. It made me incredibly self-conscious from age 8 up until my senior year of high school. Those years of constantly comparing myself to others and feeling my self-esteem plummet were some of the lowest years of my life, but they also taught me a lot.

Being confident and knowing your self-worth are important for growth. I've always worked hard to make myself better, but I could never do that through confidence. I lacked knowing how important I was and how unique I am. And that's how we all are.

We all share qualities that make us different and special (as cliché as it sounds). Confidence doesn't come easy for all of us. I'm still self-conscious and some days, my insecurities cloud my mind and it's all I can think about.

Confidence isn't something that'll magically happen over night, but reminding yourself every day that you--1 person out of 7 billion-- are important in some grand way, can help you get to the point where you truly start believing it. Eventually, you won't need a reminder because you'll just know. Self-esteem grows just like people: with care.