I’ve heard people say that women wear makeup in order to impress men. First of all, a lot of men don’t know much about the different makeup techniques out there, unless they are a makeup artist. Second of all, most women put on their makeup in a way they are personally satisfied with. It’s important to look good based on your own standards and no one else’s.

Self-confidence is built on feeling comfortable in your own skin. If you like to wear makeup go for it, if you don’t like it, you don’t need to wear it! Just because society says that makeup makes a woman more beautiful, doesn’t mean that every single woman needs to wear makeup. Who cares what anyone else thinks as long as you think you look great? You need to be able to look in the mirror and smile at yourself. You should be happy every time you see your reflection, not because you are self-absorbed, but because you have self-love.

When it comes to fashion, you again need to disregard everything that society says, and even what your friends and family say. You go ahead and rock your individual style because if that’s what you like, then you just need to own it! If you are dressing to please others, then you simply aren’t being yourself. It’s crucial to stay true to who you are, and part of who you are is the way you dress. Wear the clothing that you are in love with, because no one is allowed to tell you not to. You do you!

The media reflects that you have to have a certain body type to be beautiful. Well guess what? They’re wrong! Again, you need to be satisfied with the way your own body looks, and not focus on anyone else. As long as you’re healthy, it’s okay if you don’t have the stereotypically “perfect” body. You need to be happy with the way you are. If you spend too much time trying to become skinny just to impress everyone else, you are wasting your time. You will never be happy if you are constantly trying to improve your look in order to seek acceptance from others. If you want to lose weight or get fit, do it on your own terms, and no one else’s.

Social media also plays a big part into trying to be happy with your physical appearance. When people get “likes” and comments on Instagram and Facebook photos, they think that makes them feel better about themselves. As a communications major, I learned that this ties in with the Uses & Gratifications Theory. People use these social media outlets to receive instant gratification through compliments, which gives them a supposed confidence boost. This might feel great in the moment, but in reality, it doesn’t help you in the long run. “Likes” and comments truly mean nothing. They’re just a click of a button, or quick typing of words. You might get a lot of “likes” on one photo, and then the next photo you post might only get a few. If you stop caring about how many people “like” your photos, and just post them because YOU think they look good, then social media will be a lot less stressful.

A lot of people assume that if you like the way you look, you are self-absorbed or cocky. There is a difference between cockiness and confidence. Confidence is being able to hold your head up high each day and smile because you are beautiful and wonderful. Cockiness is, more or less, bragging to others about how great you are. See the difference? Confidence is to impress yourself, while cockiness is an attempt to impress others. Satisfaction is basically guaranteed if you live a confident lifestyle.