I was scrolling through my Instagram feed the other day when a post from surfer Bethany Hamilton popped up. She said, "It has been said that strong is the new beautiful. This pursuit to be the new beautiful or strive for perfection is exhausting." She went on to explain that every woman around her is beautiful in every shape and form. She says, "I don't believe any body type is the 'new beautiful' but rather we all have our unique beauty, talents and abilities."

Years ago, if I had read this it would've been my motto.

Growing up is not easy when you're a girl. To be honest, it's not easy for anyone! There is so much pressure, so much confusion. Nowadays, it is simple to tell yourself you are not good enough. There is no end to what our minds can come up with to bring ourselves down. We all have to look at media and try to comprehend this concept they have created, the concept of this year's beauty.

As a little girl, I grew up watching Disney princess movies. Still to this day, thousands of little girls and even boys watch these movies. We grow up watching these animated princesses falling in love like it's easy as pie.

We grow up watching them like it's easy to achieve what they have—the perfect body, perfect voluminous hair, the fairy godmother to grant our wishes, and a prince who falls in love with them, who is also his own perfection.

It's not real. Along with that, these girls need their prince. It's one of the only things they wish for. What about a girl who wants to be a strong woman? What about a girl who wants to rule the world?

Sure, fall in love, sister, but a girl in love who wants more for herself. It wasn't until I recently started to watch "Mulan" and "Frozen" where I praised Disney for showing girls they can wish for so much more.

We can do so much more. We are so powerful and beautiful and strong. Yes, I truly believe being strong inside and out is breathtakingly beautiful, but I want you to know that you never, ever have to strive to be what the media portrays that month. Hamilton was right. You are you, and by God, you are the most beautiful you in this entire world.

Be strong, but don't feel the need to be strong because someone is telling you to be. We have all gone through things. We are all strong, not because someone told us to be, but because we have grown to become humans that can conquer things we never thought imaginable.