“You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you” (Song of Solomon 4:7). I’ve wanted to post this for a while and I have finally found the right words to do so. I have been struggling with acne since middle school and while some of you may know this and some may not- the journey has not been easy. It’s very hard living in society today where young women like me are being held to impossible standards with skin and even the way “pretty” is portrayed. Many influencers, celebrities, brands, etc photoshop pictures to make this perfect image of what us girls and women think we need to look like, which in reality is impossible. Going through my teenage years and especially starting high school with acne was tremendously difficult. I tried so many medications, facials, peels, and all the topical treatments you could think of. I was told “oh just wear makeup! But I just wanted it clear and not feel like I needed the makeup to be “pretty”. I felt so alone and ugly at all times and had carried the constant thought and worry that when I went anywhere I NEEDED to put on makeup to feel like I would measure up in society and not be labeled “ugly”. GIRLS THIS MINDSET NEEDS TO STOP. Thinking like this made my self esteem and happiness drop significantly and made every area of my life worse. I was miserable and I wasn’t sure how much more of that feeling I could take. Things only started getting better when I accepted who I truly am and came to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter what I look like on the outside...but it is what lies on the inside that truly matters. I stopped listening to the comments and remarks that were made about me and started focusing on the positive. Because of this mindset change, I am now living the best I could have ever imagined and I know my little 9th grade self would be so happy and proud of the place I am at in life today. Overall I just wanted to put this message out there for anyone who feels the same or is quietly battling this within themselves. But you are beautiful and amazing in every way you are and God made you that way for a reason and don’t let anyone let you think otherwise about yourself or your beauty.