
I am beautiful no matter what they say.
Words can't bring me down.
I am beautiful in every single way.
Yes, words can't bring me down...Oh no.
So don't you bring me down today.
Did you know that 7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members? Did you also know that research has concluded that over 70% of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks and that 75% of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in negative activities like cutting, bullying, smoking, drinking, or disordered eating? This compares to 25% of girls with high self-esteem. Those are shocking statistics!
Studies have also found that teen girls that have a negative view of themselves are 4 times more likely to take part in activities with boys that they've ended up regretting later.
Another fact is that a girl’s self-esteem is more strongly related to how she views her own body shape and body weight than how much she actually weighs. So if you have every experienced any of these emotions, you're not alone.
Girls (me included) have a tendency to internalize other people's criticism. Trust me on this! I wear a size 4 and because of people in my past telling me that I am heavy and asking me to lose weight, I still struggle with having a good "and accurate" self-image of what I truly look like.
Remember girls, when other people do that to us it is almost always from someone who has very low self-esteem themselves, just like a bully. Also, never forget that hurt people, hurt people. Someone who is comfortable in their own skin and who truly likes herself/himself would never bother criticizing others, they would see the good in others. It's called kindness and compassion. Deep down inside those mean girls and boys who toss insults at others are hurting people themselves.
This is a huge topic, but tonight I will challenge you to think about how you view yourself. Possibly journal positive things about yourself that you like and don't forget to include physical characteristics in your list.
True beauty emanates from a woman who knows who she is in this world. Beauty is knowing your value and finding that value from a place deep inside of you that has nothing to do with how someone else sees the outside of you. This is what I think of people who criticize someone's outside appearance; they are the ugly ones because that is ugly behavior.
If you don't love yourself, no one else will love you. If you don't value yourself, no one else will value you. So make peace with the mirror and watch your reflection change. By the way, I think you are beautiful, in every single way. Love, Ms. B.
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-teens-and-self-esteem