Step Away From the Mirror

In every girl's head, there's a little voice that speaks to her--speaks to her often. Sometimes it whispers quiet confidence, other times it screams loudly, begging for attention. But the words that leave the deepest print on girls' hearts are the ones that tell her she is ugly, that she is not good enough.

Here's a story about a 19 year old girl named Katherine, who one day decided she was going to stop hating herself, and embrace the body she was given.   

"I never was the pretty one in my group of friends, or the one that got all the attention from the boys. I often found myself wishing that I was more like my best friend-- she could walk into a room with so much confidence that I felt like the light radiating from her cast such a thick glow it was hard to see me standing beside her. Of course she always told me I was pretty and that she loved me just the way I was, but the voice in my head fought hard against her reassurances.

It also didn't help that I grew up with a twin sister. Don't get me wrong, I love my sister to pieces, but I'm sure having a human mirror you can't avoid didn't help us with our confidence. We look almost exactly the same, with maybe a slight difference in our eyes and the shape of our face. But everything else is the same. We have the same shape and size nose, the same pointed chin, the same ears that are just a bit too big.Every time I look at my sister I am reminded of what I look like. I could critique my body without even having to look in the mirror. 

And then there's the fact that we secretly competed with each other growing up. Who could be the skinniest, have the best hair style, the coolest clothes, the most friends. Having a twin sister is a blessing when you need a shoulder to cry on after a hard breakup or someone to run for the ice when you bust your butt on the stairs. But when it comes to embracing your body image--having an identical twin is a curse. 

You're probably wondering how I ever got over this hurdle, how I learned to accept myself for the way I am, and stop comparing myself to my sister. Well, I didn't really do anything. I simply made a decision. Lots of things in life require you to make a decision--you have to choose a shirt to wear, which parking space to park in, and who to love. It's the same for taking that step to a positive body-image. You have to decide that you're going to stop hating yourself and instead love your slightly big ears and pale skin. 

It also helps to surround yourself with the people who tell you you'
re beautiful, people like my best friend. I no longer wish I was as pretty as her---cause I am just as pretty as her, I just didn't let myself see that before. "

Katherine's story is so inspiring, and we hope it will encourage you to make the decision to love your body just the way it is!

What are things girls can do to learn to love themselves?

Do you have a story like Katherine's? 

Please share with us!

Take this fun quiz to find out what level of confidence you have!
https://www.onlineassessmenttool.com/self-esteem-does-your-confidence-need-a-boost/assessment-16522

With love, 

Girl Talk