Hey girl,

I know it hurts. I know some days avoiding the mirror at all costs is what it takes just to make it through the day. Unscathed by your own tormenting thoughts. I know, the mirror can feel like any enemy, and so can your own mind.

I know sometimes you stand in the mirror for what starts off as a few minutes and turns into hours. Noticing just one flaw or mark or bump that feels inconvenient and before you know it, you are doing a full examination of every aspect of your face, limbs and other body parts.

That inner voice overshadowing every ounce of realism, preventing ever slap back to reality. I know that voice tells you you're not pretty enough, not with that face or those lips, or that extra skin under your chin. I know it taunts you over how large your arms are, how disgusting your stomach is as you pinch the same skin over and over until its bright pink. I know it terrorizes you even when your focus needs to be on work, school or even the person speaking right in front of you.

I know that voice, makes it nearly impossible to ever like what you see in your reflection.

I know that as hard as you fight, body image and your reflection is a constant battle, one that takes practice at fighting. One day you wake up and you make it through that damn day feeling beautiful, feeling happy with every curve and every strand of hair. But, just when you applaud yourself for loving what you should love, there it is again. You look for just a little too long at your pretty face for the voice to come back and shut down every ounce of progress. I know it's hard and I know that shit hurts.

I know that fighting off those demons have become ten times more difficult now versus when you were younger and in school. Why? Because social media is brutal. Even when the comments aren't negative but nice, the constant follower after follower and picture after picture of what you think is a perfect face, perfect smile and perfect body makes it twenty times harder to not compare and feel defeated.

I know that you may have not always felt this way.

You may have had confidence and didn't consider yourself insecure. But girl, just because you feel that way today, yesterday, most days or just in this moment, its not your fault. It happens, and you have to keep fighting because it will pass with every positive comment you feel and think when you look in that mirror. Know, that when you are looking online everyone is different, that's the point. So, try to stop comparing. And, I know easier said then done because sometimes it can feel physically and mentally impossible not to.

Most importantly though, know you're NOT the only one. Remember, next time when you're picking and tearing at what you see,
(sometimes (usually) even seeing something completely different and false from what the rest of the world sees when they look at you) that someone else most likely is too.

So, today, look in that mirror and give yourself some love. Because, you deserve it. And, maybe give someone else some love too... because you know all too well, reflections are tough.