A Happy Self-Esteem Makes a Healthier You

Okay, let me start off by saying that I love the website Tumblr. I recognize that it’s different from other social networks; it’s a place for anyone who has nowhere else where they feel accepted. If someone wants to vent about his or her problems, insecurities, or emotions -- by all means -- Tumblr is the place to do it. I want to talk about one of the biggest issues that I see on Tumblr, though. It’s something that I don’t particularly like. Many users will “reblog” a picture of a stick thin girl where her bones are sticking out everywhere and they’ll say, “I wish I had her body.” My question is, “Why?” Why do these girls want to look like a skeleton? Why do they want to have no shape? Why do they want to look too fragile to touch, as if they could break under the pressure of a simple hug? Girls shouldn’t wish to be that way just because society and the media deem skinny to be the most beautiful appearance. You shouldn’t listen to them. You shouldn’t listen to anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself. They’re wrong. What you want to do with your body is definitely your choice, but you shouldn’t change your body because of how you think people view you. If you didn’t live in a world where everyone says and implies that you have to be skinny, you would have no reason to think you’re anything less than the beautiful person that you are. Humans aren’t supposed to be stick thin; we’re not meant to be that way. We have the amazing ability to look so different from one another and I think that’s so incredibly beautiful about life. A lot of people would tell me, “That’s easy for you to say; you’re tiny.” Yes, I am slim, but that doesn’t mean I want to be. I am constantly trying to gain weight, because that’s what I want. I’m not trying to fit into what society expects from women. I have my own mind and my own opinions, and I fully intend on using them.
This completely applies to males as well. You don’t have to live up to this contrived image of how a “manly man” should look. As long as you’re healthy and you feel comfortable in your own skin, why do you have to change? Seriously, looks shouldn’t be this big of a deal. If someone is going to judge you based on how you look, then do you really want that person in your life? I wouldn’t. I just feel like there aren’t enough people conveying this message, when it’s very important. I really hope this helps anyone who is having issues with their body. It may not mean a lot coming from me, but the way you look would give me no reason to think you’re not beautiful. It’s really who you are as a person - your personality and behavior - that defines how I see you. I’m not the only one who has this mind set.