The latest pink lip shade has your heart doing some excited flips, and you can’t wait to have it. You’ve put together your pennies, and just as you’re proceeding toward the checkout, your thought bubble expands with all the negative thoughts crowding it. You start wondering if your friends will really like it and if they would think the lip color suits your complexion or not. And that is where all the doubt snuggles in and takes a permanent spot.

There is no denying that we all are conscious of what we say or what we do during the teenage years of our life. But being a teenager is a golden era that should be cherished, and whatever habits are embedded into our personality at this stage are bound to stay forever. Hence, worrying yourself sick is not only going to ruin your teen years, but the habit is going to stick with you long after that age.

For one, life is short, and enjoying it should be your top priority; you never know when hard times bang on your door uninvited. Therefore, fulfilling your heart’s desires should be top of the list. So, wear that cheetah-print crop top, flaunt your wedges, and try the latest nail polishes. They say red lipstick is not for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you become conscious of wearing lip color. You just need to find which shade of red suits you the most.

Being self-conscious does not limit itself to looks only. Our teenage years are mostly confusing ones with a lot of things happening to us simultaneously. We are not sure of half of the decisions we make, and we do not know which field of profession to pursue — whether to follow our passion or to select a line that could earn us quick dollars. Mostly, in making these types of decisions, we end up worrying about what other people would actually say. Many just don’t open up sometimes. We are not sure if what we are thinking is right or wrong. We feel like our passion may be a temporary thing and could possibly be demeaning. For instance, some kids feel that revealing their love for being a veterinary doctor could possibly be frowned upon; but, that’s not the case. Under-confidence is ready to devour them completely.

All we have to remember is that our decisions, looks, or actions don’t have to be enslaved by other people’s opinions. Bullies will be strategically placed around each turn in our lives, be it adolescence or adulthood. Overcoming our fears is a part of life, but being self-conscious and denying life’s pleasures due to fear is only torturing your own self. The next time you fret over what people are going to think about you or your looks or your physique or even your choices, just think about who these people really are to judge you or discourage you. When your heart gives an approving nod, all is well.

Here’s a scoop of inspiration from Mignon McLaughlin:

“Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for anything else.”