Flaws: We ALL have them.

Flaw(n): defect or weakness in a person's character. Even though this is the dictionary

definition, these “defects” vary among people. Whether it’s acne, weight, height, skin color, etc.

As we grow up we are told “nobody is perfect”, yet society seems to always have something to say about someone’s flaws? So the question: how do we accept what society or ourselves view as flaws? But see: it’s less of accepting the flaws and more of looking at them in a different light. Let’s look at a phrase: “body positivity”. The idea of loving your body just the way it is and being happy with the skin you're in. There is importance in taking care of yourself and being healthy, but body positivity is the acceptance that everyone’s body reacts and grows differently.

There are some of us that struggle to gain weight or muscle mass, no matter how much we eat and exercise. On the other hand, some of us gain weight very easily and flounder to lose that weight. A percent of the population has health difficulties that can make it hard to lose weight like hypothyroidism, chronic issues, Cushing’s syndrome, etc. Health difficulties that make it harder to gain weight: hyperthyroidism, type 1 diabetes, eating disorders, etc. The diversity between each individual makes it practically impossible to correctly judge someone based on their body size. Which is why there should be no judgment in the first place. This is the sort of light that an individual should see themselves in. If we can’t judge other people, why are we judging ourselves so harshly? As long as you are taking care of your health, there should be no concern of how your body looks to others. I know, it’s much easier to say than actually do but here are a few tips. First, don’t look at yourself in the mirror for hours. If you want to check out your outfit or your makeup then go right ahead. Secondly, treat yourself like you are dating yourself. That may sound odd but I can assure you that it works. If you are thinking negatively about yourself, ask yourself if you would be thinking that about your potential loved one. If the answer is no, then you should not be thinking it about yourself.

Instead, tell yourself how beautiful and perfect you are because that is certainly something you would tell your possible significant other. Lastly, limit your time on social media. As entertaining as social media can be, a huge part of a viewer’s insecurities comes from seeing an influencer’s “perfection”. Social media platforms tend to show lies or half-truths about an influencer’s lifestyle, which can possibly hurt your self confidence. Social media isn’t always awful though because there are plenty of loved influencers that stand as icons for body positivity. Stars like Megan Jayne Crabbe, Kellie Brown, Meg Boggs, Lizzo, and so many more.

If you plan to be on social media, these are the best kind of people to engage with. Although, the only person that can truly help you best is yourself. At the end of the day, it all comes down to loving yourself. This is YOUR body for this lifetime, so make sure to love and appreciate everything it does for you. Love yourself for everything you are.