This one's for the girls....
In school, I remember feeling like I had to be smart or funny to be noticed. In my mind, I wasn't as skinny or pretty as other girls in my class.
If I got good grades, maybe I would feel better.
If I made others laugh, I would feel better.
Maybe if I played sports well or did well in choir, I would feel approval.
Seriously, this started in elementary school.
And how? Why are our sweet and precious girls (and boys) feeling like they aren't as good as their peers in some way or another? Why are we constantly seeking to compare ourselves to each other in a matter of feeling good about ourselves?
Most nights at volleyball practice, I have had to correct a player for saying that they are unlikable or not pretty. Some of my high school aged players will look at the Instagram profile of a peer and say that they will never be as pretty as she is, or that she is so perfect. Even one of the players on my 6th-8th grade team told me last night, "Believe me, nobody likes me," and I was stunned.
I wanted to yell, and say that they were so wrong because they are so great. I wanted to cry, because I didn't want these children feeling rejection or isolation at such young ages. I wanted to give a hug, because to this day, I still feel similarly from time to time.
It doesn't matter how old you are, we all struggle with it. Even after losing weight, exercising, educating myself and working on my interpersonal skills, I still feel myself constantly comparing myself to others.
There will ALWAYS be someone smaller.
There will ALWAYS be someone stronger.
It is OKAY to have someone not like you.
What is not okay is feeding into a society that embraces and allows these doubts and insecurities flourish.
Tell them that they are smart. Tell them that they are strong. Tell them that they are who they are meant to be, and can do absolutely anything that their hearts desire. So please, for the future, empower our girls.
"Unpretty" by TLC
If I got good grades, maybe I would feel better.
If I made others laugh, I would feel better.
Maybe if I played sports well or did well in choir, I would feel approval.
Seriously, this started in elementary school.
And how? Why are our sweet and precious girls (and boys) feeling like they aren't as good as their peers in some way or another? Why are we constantly seeking to compare ourselves to each other in a matter of feeling good about ourselves?
Most nights at volleyball practice, I have had to correct a player for saying that they are unlikable or not pretty. Some of my high school aged players will look at the Instagram profile of a peer and say that they will never be as pretty as she is, or that she is so perfect. Even one of the players on my 6th-8th grade team told me last night, "Believe me, nobody likes me," and I was stunned.
I wanted to yell, and say that they were so wrong because they are so great. I wanted to cry, because I didn't want these children feeling rejection or isolation at such young ages. I wanted to give a hug, because to this day, I still feel similarly from time to time.
It doesn't matter how old you are, we all struggle with it. Even after losing weight, exercising, educating myself and working on my interpersonal skills, I still feel myself constantly comparing myself to others.
There will ALWAYS be someone smaller.
There will ALWAYS be someone stronger.
It is OKAY to have someone not like you.
What is not okay is feeding into a society that embraces and allows these doubts and insecurities flourish.
Tell them that they are smart. Tell them that they are strong. Tell them that they are who they are meant to be, and can do absolutely anything that their hearts desire. So please, for the future, empower our girls.
"Unpretty" by TLC
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