It seems to me in society today there seems to be so much focus on what the definition of beauty is, and the sad thing is the message is always geared to what we see on the outside of someone and it makes me sad. We have young girls who see and hear that message everyday and that message leaves these girls with no self esteem, no confidence, and for some it leads into the world of eating disorders and so many other horrible things in life. We have little girls who should be playing with Barbie's, now thinking about what they can do to look like Barbie, and it makes me so angry. How did we get to this place where we are failing these young girls who are the future generation of what's to come.
Instead of believing in themselves and wondering what they want to be when they grow up, our young girls are cutting themselves, burning themselves, throwing up after they eat, and punishing themselves for thinking they are not pretty enough, smart enough, thin enough, and worst of all, thinking that they don't matter. And some of these girls think they don't even deserve to live. I'm not only shocked by this, but I also wonder what happened, and where did we go wrong?
Why isn't anyone teaching these girls about inner beauty and showing them the amazing qualities we each have inside? I believe beauty in not always something you should look for on the outside, because we all have things that make us beautiful inside as well. Why don't we spend time telling these girls things we admire in them and take the chance we each have everyday to remind them they are enough exactly as they are. Why not take the chance to give them the courage they need to do anything their heart desires. Why not say, I believe in you, instead of saying you're looking a little chubby today, why didn't you get an A on that test, why didn't you finish your chores, and all of the other negative things that beat them down little by little everyday.
We all have a chance each day to choose our words and we all have a chance to really make a big impact in the life of someone. We can spend the same amount of time saying positive things to someone, as we do negative things. I also know that some of you might not have had anyone to say positive things to you when you were growing up, and maybe you're angry about it still. But the thing is, you now have the chance to change that, you can start by saying positive things to yourself each day and trust me, you'll be amazed at how it makes you feel.
Once you start feeling better about yourself, I know you will want to do that for someone else. Everyday we have the opportunity to choose the words we use, and we also have the chance to not only tell ourselves that we are beautiful inside; we have the chance if we take it, to remind our young girls that as well. So take that chance today, take that chance to remind the young girls who are the future, they are beautiful inside. We have the power to change the world we live in by changing what we say and do each day. So why not start today?
Copyright 2007 Donna Webster
