Me.

"If I don't like myself, why should anybody else?" - Shane Dawson (vid) High School Drama!!!!

I'm a huge Shane Dawson fan. I love his videos not only because they're silly, perverted, and freakin' hilarious, but also because he too is trying to find himself and trying to love who he is. I've watched the majority of his videos, and his vlogs, and I think he's come pretty far in loving who he is, even though he still says he's got low self esteem and confidence.

This post isn't about Shane, though, but about what he said, up there. I was watching his newest video "High School Drama!!!!" (I'd give you the link, but I don't want to be flagged as "spam" so go search it up on YouTube! Search : Shane Dawson High School Drama!!!! ) and with the beginning of the short film thing, I thought it was going to be another perverted clip.

But I was very wrong. It was indeed a bit perverted, and a little nasty, but that's the usual stuff. The video was about eating disorders, or more so about weight and loving yourself. We all have issues with our bodies, some more than others. I know I've got mine. And while I think I can look pretty damn good on some days, it doesn't mean I like my many flaws anymore than the next person likes their own.

I'm a teenage girl living in the year 2010, and the number one thing that's still obsessed over, after YEARS of it, is indeed weight. It's been decades, and the fad for women and girls all over the nation is still to be thin and flawless. But, I will gives a little credit to the media, and more credit to the stronger women around the world, who go, "you know what? I love me."

Personally, I think we spend a little too much time trying to please others, even those who don't need it. I used to hate going swimming because I'm epically white, I have a really small chest so it barely fills up the bathing suit top, I've got some back acne, and I may be skinny, but I don't have a hard, flat stomach and I jiggle everywhere. But for the past year, I've been slowly getting out of that shell, and going swimming with my friends. IN A BIKINI. That was a bold move. At first I was like "shit shit shit shit everyone's gonna look fuck." Now it's like, who cares? We're all having fun. And while they all DID notice the new move, they were encouraging me to be more careless about that. They just wanted me to join in on the fun. And I did.

I'm so greatful I have what some call "real friends". The kind that don't care if you've got a few extra pounds on you, or what you wear, or who you hang out with really, unless they're really big assholes. They care about your personality, and love me for me.

So this all brings me back to the quote, "if I don't like myself, why should anyone else?" And well, why should they? I'm not saying my friends or whoever shouldn't be supportive when I'm feeling down about myself, or something I did. I mean in general. If I didn't like myself, that means I'm acting like someone I don't like, doing things I don't like, so if I don't like what I'm doing, who I'm becoming, why would anyone else like me? Why should they like me? Why should they tolerate me when I don't like myself?

I've got a small challenge for you all. Work on loving who you are, and becoming the person you want to be. And I say this with good intentions. I know there's a small handful of people out there that this could be the worst thing to say to. But omitting them; go make a list of everything you like about yourself. EVERYTHING. Physically, personality-wise, how you dress, everything. I'm not saying to go make yourself perfect, I'm not saying to change yourself. What I'm saying is don't let the media and bitchy girls or jocks at school define who you are. Life will be so much easier and happier once you love yourself, and when you're happy with who you are.