Hi, I’m Gabby. I am 5’7″ (even though I always lie and say I’m 5’8″), and I weigh approximately 155 pounds. I’m not the skinniest person, and I avoid scales and bikinis at all costs. At least, I used to.

When I go out in public, I look at other girls to compare myself to them. I either decide they are “bigger” than me and feel better, decide they are “smaller” than me and feel worse, or decide they are my weight and judge them anyway. However,  as I was looking at all these women — people I didn’t even know — I began to realize that none of them were prettier than the other one; they were all different.

I began to see different body types, and I began to appreciate them all because everyone is genuinely beautiful. Maybe this just sounds like me talking out of my butt and not being genuine, but I am dead serious. I don’t think I would have believed these words myself five years ago, but I want these words to affect someone now. It’s cool to be different! Can you imagine if everyone looked exactly the same? It would be so boring. We would all be carbon copies of each other; but, we’re not.

So, instead of hating your flaws, because we’ve all been there, stop calling them flaws and realize that they’re what make you “you.” The road to accepting yourself is long and hard, trust me, but there is no reason for you to hate your body because you wish you looked like Beyoncé. I used to think that I couldn’t be pretty because I thought my best friend was the prettiest person ever; she was blonde and had blue eyes and was stick thin. That’s what I thought beauty was because no one had ever told me that who I was was beautiful too.

One of my favorite quotes is: “Christmas lights are pretty but so are flowers and they look nothing alike.” This is the point I’m trying to get across. Yes, Beyoncé is pretty, but you are too, even though you look nothing alike. Beauty is not a relative term; it’s not something you are when compared to someone else. Beauty is what you are when you are yourself. When you walk with your head high, and when you carry yourself with confidence, I promise no one is looking at you thinking, She looks stupid. We are all proud of you and watch with amazement as you do whatever you’re doing, whether it’s reading a book or eating ice cream; we’re all thinking, Yes girl, you go! Because you are beautiful, and you deserve to feel beautiful.

So, next time you’re out and about, people watch the people around you and realize how unique and beautiful and special each human being is. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll start to feel that way about yourself.