I constantly compare myself to others–my friends, the girls I see on the street, even my mom. I set impossible standards for myself and then chastise myself for falling short. No matter what I do, I’m not good enough. I don’t appreciate myself. I’m not pretty enough, not graceful enough, not kind enough, not helpful enough.
I’ve never had eating disorders, or injured myself purposefully. But I tear myself down every day and I don’t believe it when people tell me I’m beautiful.
But I am.
I am beautiful because of my personality. I passionately love other people.
I love my freckles.
I love it when my eyes catch the light and sparkle green.
I love my ability to see differently than any other person in the world. I love the photographs I take and how creative I am.
I love my too-wide smile with crooked teeth.
I love the way I help my friends.
I love the way I show others God’s love.
I love the way my heart years to have purpose.
I am beautiful, and I am learning it, slowly. I am learning to get past thinking my body is not sexy enough, or that I’m a bad friend.
I am learning to accept myself and embrace who I am– because no one on earth is just like me. I am completely unique. This is what makes me beautiful.
Ashley
05 Thursday May 2011
Posted in We Are All Beautiful
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It’s funny that I stumbled across your site. Last night I was laying in bed thinking about how totally critical I am and have been for as long as I remember. When I looked at all my crappy beliefs i thought-jeez, no wonder i feel so defeated’ My feet are too wide, my ankles are fat, my knees are knobby, my ass sags as i age, my tummy sticks out, my boobs are too small, my face is too narrow, my eyes are too close together….and on and on. No more. Now I tell myself ” i love you butt, i love you eyes, thanks for serving me so well all these years.’…From now on its all about the love, no more insults.`Its not true anyway, im beautiful and so are you, there is noone else in the whole world like you, as they say, ‘just be yourself, everyone else is taken’ lol
take care
I have almost the exact same issues! I am called ugly all to often!
this is truely lovley, the begining part about the way you tear yourself down, is compleatly like myself.
thanx for this [:
for letting me know theres someone else out there that feels the way i do.
Amen, sister! God made us all uniquely (and that’s a very good thing!). I struggle with it myself much of the time, but I think you’re right on when you write about appreciating all the amazing things he included when God made you.
you are beautiful, but i have a favour to ask… may I use your words as inspiration for my visual arts major work, my concept is “Many faces of Beauty” or “What is Beauty?” I’m not sure yet but your post is simply inspirational!