This is the problem with our society.

There are a phenomenal amount of advertisements that everyone views every single day of their lives. These advertisements not only influence what we think about things such as products, but also what we think about each other and ourselves. There is a serious problem with our society when millions of people feel that they have to look or act a certain way to be accepted. Young women and men starve themselves and work out for hours on end for "aesthetic" improvement, only to feel heartbroken and crushed when they look in the mirror. We are taught that it's not okay to love ourselves, and many advertisements target that wound directly. It is normal to feel down on yourself sometimes, but it breaks my heart to realize that some people wake up every morning and feel disappointed in who they are as a person. If you are that person, I want you to know that you are so special. You have the ability to choose your own path in life, even if you are facing some obstacles right now. Please don't focus too much on your appearance. Learn to accept who you are because what makes everyone beautiful is the fact that we are all different in unique ways. I know that you probably get bullied and made fun of because everyone faces that in some form, but you can't let the hate of others get you down. Keep your chin up and believe in yourself. If you put your heart into your goals, you can accomplish them.

How can we fix this problem? Everyone should strive to be a positive influence within our society, even if that influence is small. We all need to realize that appearance isn't everything. Too many people don't care about others and only care about what benefits them at the given moment. Look around you and realize that you are not the only person with feelings in this world. Reach out to others who are going through hard times, because one day you might be that person who needs help. Compliment people every once and awhile, because that compliment might change their entire day. Smile. Do small acts of kindness. We have to realize that our society is not perfect, and only we can fix it by loving and accepting one another.