Nobody’s perfect, and in high school especially, when I look at others I tend to criticize myself for aspects I lack. Instead of tearing myself down, I can say, “This is me, and that’s enough.” 

We live in a world with high standards for how someone should look or act. A girl should not be over a certain weight and a boy needs to work out and be fit in order to be considered “manly.” 

According to the New York Times, about 75 percent of the surveyed kids are considered a normal weight. However, half the normal-weight girls and a quarter of the normal-weight boys believe they are overweight. 

Society has created these ideals, telling us that being overweight, shy, or loud is unacceptable.

Dr. Neumark-Sztainer said that out of 4,746 students in junior high and high school, 57 percent of the girls had fasted, gone on diets, [or] used Slim-Fast or other supplements, according to the New York Times. 

Our minds play a major role in self-love. Sometimes, how we look is based on what our mind believes and not reality. 

Every time you say in your head “I’m ugly or I hate the way I look,” replace those negative words with different positive affirmations like “I love myself the way that I am or I am beautiful in my own body.” You never know who might be experiencing these feelings. The girl or boy with the biggest smile could be the one hurting the most.

Once you let negative influences affect your actions, you give in to self-hatred. You start criticizing yourself. 

Something you used to love about yourself, you now hate. 

A few days ago I watched a video of my younger self, singing the silliest song with my sisters. We didn’t have a care in the world if we looked crazy. If our voices broke every eardrum in that room, we would still keep singing. We loved what we were doing and kept singing until our hearts were content. 

If we limit what we do because we are ashamed or afraid to show the world who we truly are, then we will never reach our highest potential.

A 2018 study of teenagers suggests that the perception of self  “plays a central role in emotional well-being,” according to Greater Good Magazine.

Your perfect will never be enough until you realize that you, as you are, are already enough.

Loving yourself, every imperfection you have, owning it, and walking around with your head held high is a great way to start your journey to self-love.