Hey, you said something yesterday that took yourself by surprise. When you were complaining to your mom that those girls at the gym were there for hours longer than you were. You said you felt bad, like you hadn’t put in enough effort. That that hour of cardio didn’t do you any good. “At least you got to the gym,” your mom told you. “Why do you care how much time other girls spend there? You wouldn’t want to be there for three hours, would you?” You stared at her and looked to the side, shifty-eyed. “I just wish I looked like them.”

What? What did you say yesterday, in that moment of insecurity and self-hatred? Did you seriously just doubt your God-given beauty? 

You are SO beautiful. Why? Because you smile all the time. You do good things for other people, and offer to help out just because. You are kind and compassionate. You have strong faith and beliefs and are worldly and knowledgeable. You love your family and you would do anything for your friends. You live life on your own terms. You have so many things you care about, and do a good job at. Don’t forget to thank Him for your talents, too. You are taylor made to his perfection.

Forget about your thighs and butt, which can seem impossible to fit into anything. Forget how you feel when you hear girls smaller than you talking about how fat they feel, or making fun of someone who is bigger than you. Forget about the size of your clothes. Because your body size doesn’t matter. But you know what does? The size of your heart. 

Yes. I said it. You can go to the gym six hours a day and make food your God and live and breathe dieting. You can try to be someone else’s definition of beautiful… But wouldn’t you rather live a beautiful life effortlessly? That takes heart. No insecurities or frustrations or doubt allowed. 

So just quit it. Quit the staring in the mirror and the wishing you could be a size 6 not a size 12. Quit the complaining to your mother, who loves you with all her heart and thinks you are so beautiful. Quit thinking that people will only care about you because of the size of your pants.

Because if anything, you’ve lived a life that proves that is absolutely not true.