An Article On Teenage Confidence

As a 16-year-old girl, one of the most prevalent things on my mind is my appearance. While unfortunate, it’s true. And yes, I wish it was not this way sometimes.

When I was 13, I started to workout. I wasn’t happy with the way I looked and I knew that I needed to start being more active. I liked all the unhealthy foods and was a normal, healthy teenager. Although, deep down, I felt kind of gross. Not gonna lie. After talking to my parents, they were more than happy to get me a gym membership at the local gym. This wasn’t about losing weight. I just wanted to feel good in my own skin. Of course, it was normal to feel this way as a young teen; Although, if I could make a change to better myself, I would. And I did.

I started to work out a lot. Time went by and I started to get into really good shape and I was so proud of myself. The thing I didn’t know was that with all the working out I was doing, I would start to obsess a bit over how I looked. It wasn’t really something I knew would come along with working out for my personal journey. It’s different for everyone. Some people may not experience this, but I did. I like to say whatever kills you makes you stronger. And it did.

3 years after I started working out, I have learned how I can comfort myself when feeling down about my appearance. It is something I have learned to manage, and am still learning how to manage.

The way I eat and the way I live my life work for me. The way someone lives their life might not work for me! Do what works for you, not what works for your friend. It is so important to think about what makes you happy and fulfills you.

Here is where the confidence comes in: I’ve now gotten used to my routine. I’m a runner. I run 2–4 miles every day. Working out fuels me. But it can also make my confidence go a little crazy. If I miss a day, my confidence plummets. Same with if I don't sweat enough. Or my workout isn’t long enough. I’ve learned that it’s natural. It took me a long time to understand that.

A lot of people these days look in the mirror a lot; Including me. The thing is, the mirror is a devil. How can you even know what you look like if every mirror makes you look different?

That’s why it is so important to look at yourself for your own personal beauty and self-love. You can’t love somebody else until you love yourself. I work on myself every day and continue to find things to be proud of, even though it might be difficult sometimes. Be confident. Look at all your accomplishments. Tell yourself how incredible you are.

I encourage everyone who reads this (including myself) to find one thing every day that makes you proud of yourself. One thing that makes you feel confident. You have to start somewhere, so start here.