Life shouldn’t always be about trying to become as pretty as the next girl. We spend too much time and money nowadays worrying about our makeup, our figure, and even our sun kissed skin. Of course feeling attractive makes your soul feel good, but what happens when that becomes all that you can think about? We all fall victim to going the extra mile to make sure we fit in. Whether it is waking up earlier to do your makeup and hair before class or skipping a meal to make sure your jeans fit just right, we all believe in the idea of fitting the standards of beauty.

Most of us believe the most important thing in life is to be young and beautiful and because of this we may never fully experience all that life has to offer. We become so consumed with imperfection that we miss out on embracing the world around us. Our minds become a never ending cycle of self-judgment with doubt on repeat.

I am part of the population that struggles to love themselves. I spend too much time worrying about what other people think of me than I do caring for myself. And that’s no way to live. I found that the happiest of people I know, are the ones that learn to love what they have to offer for themselves. Everyone has their own sets of insecurities, but we should never let those overpower our priorities.

Learning to love yourself is one of the greatest things you can do. Reminding yourself that you are beautiful has the power to change your entire perspective. When you have love for yourself, it opens the doors for others to love you too. It may sound cliché, but looking at yourself in the mirror and telling yourself that you are beautiful and you love the body that you have will forever empower you and give you the greatest of confidence.

Loving yourself means that you accept yourself for who you are. It means you accept the imperfections that you cannot change and learning to appreciate those things. Loving yourself means that you even view your flaws as incredible and believe that is what makes you, you.

When we learn to love ourselves, it is easy to realize what love we deserve. You know that you are worth more and you know that you deserve the best love there is. Your decisions reflect the respect that you have for yourself. Your humble confidence becomes so attractive and people are drawn to your presence. When you love yourself and care for yourself, it is so much easier for others to love and care about you. Not a lot of people can care about someone's well-being when that person doesn't care to do what is best for them.

Everyone deserves to be loved by themselves.