There is a good reason why your parents chose you, love you, and want to be around you so badly. You're not perfect, you never will be, and you never should try to be. You are you and that is enough. So, instead of focusing on what you need to change about yourself (you should focus on the positives and the things that make you who you are!), appreciate the qualities that are great about you.

You are perfect in your own unique way. And when you feel like something about yourself is missing and that you need to fix it, realize that You are what makes you you, and it's okay that you don't have everything figured out. It's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to feel indecisive. It's okay to feel scared. You don't need to put on the face of someone who knows it all because you don't know it all.

It's okay not to know if something is wrong with you or what you want to do with your life. It's okay to be confused about what to do with your time or how to handle a relationship or how to handle stress. You will figure it out. You are figuring it out. You are figuring yourself out right now, and that is the most valuable thing any of us have to offer each other - ourselves. You are what makes you you, and it's okay that you don't look like everyone else. You do not owe anyone anything for doing what makes You happy, even if they make fun of you for it. So be yourself today.

I write this today, because of a chat interaction I had with a friend recently.  During the conversation, my friend  admitted to have been feeling a little lost and broken. He has been facing a lot of fear, a lot of doubt, and a lot of uncertainty about the future. In fact, the my friend concluded that the future doesn't exist for him, and he needed advice from someone older and wiser than him. He asked me if I had any advice for him.

And as I read through the conversation again, I realized that it could be directed to anyone else who feels like something about themselves is broken and needs to be fixed. And it dawned on me, that I need to speak up and share not just my story and my journey, but myself as well.

The journey to self-love/acceptance is a never-ending one. You’ll be climbing uphill one day, and down the other, but it’s worth it.

It seems like all I ever did was work on my flaws. I always felt there was something else out there that would make me “good enough.” And in the end, I realized that no amount of tattoos, no amount of weight would ever change me. I had to me.

Even now, I’m still scared of being rejected, and of people judging me. But I realize that even if 100% of this community rejects me, I am still better off knowing that no matter the pressure life may bring, or what others may think of me, I will never allow myself to be someone else. That's my greatest success.

I tell you this so you know. We all have our insecurities. You are not alone in yours. Be proud of who you are. Be proud that you are different from everyone you know; that’s how change is made.

We live in a time where many people get lost in trying to fit into things they aren’t. We find ourselves trying to be better, cooler, more successful versions of ourselves. You don’t always have to do that. You can be content with who you are and what you have. But, before you can do that, you have to love yourself.

There are so many people who are unhappy with who they are. They feel that they aren’t quite good enough to be happy. They are unsure of what the path is for them. Many people are stuck on what they should be feeling, how they should act, and what they should be doing.

If you are reading this, there is a chance that you are one of those people. You may not even know it. You might think that you are happy on the outside, but there is a voice inside of you that tells you differently.

If this is the case, why do you put on a facade of happiness?

Who told you that you should have to be something other than yourself. Who told you that you have to have the same opinions as other people? Who told you that your life has to follow someone else’s path?

Be yourself. This is the foundation of all great personal achievements. You are your greatest success, so be you.

It has always been my philosophy on how to live the best life. Your happiness will come from within, it’s all on you. When you reach self-acceptance, everything else will fall into place for you. No one can take away your self-worth, trust me on that one.

Being successful is about being happy with yourself. When you are happy with who you are, there is nothing else to worry about. You can be successful in any field or endeavor. If you are not, it would be because of your lack of self-acceptance.

I believe that your greatest success is your greatest self-love. The key to self-love is not living by other people's expectations. You do that by accepting who you are regardless of what they think about you. Accepting that regardless of what people say, you are exactly who your deserved self-love is.

I have had my share of failures and successes. I have learned some secrets about success that have helped me become who I am today. From my experience, self-awareness is the foundation for success. Self-awareness consists of knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Without knowing both, you will never achieve success in any area of your life.

Only you can be you, and only you can make the most of your life. No one else can do it for you. The most valuable asset you have, is your ability to improve your skills. Your ability to achieve the goals you set for yourself.

Bottom line

I think all of us have different areas where we are better than the others. We should always train ourselves to become better in those areas, but let others be better at the other things. No one is good at everything, so it is important to find your niche and defend it, do not run away from it. Be critical of yourself and critical of others, that way you will become better than you ever thought you could be.