how i learned to hate my body

It was the night of the freshman dance. I invited all my friends over. We traded clothes and gossiped about all the guys in our class. Once we were primped in our push-up bras and red lipstick, we gathered in front of the mirror to examine our final product. Then the ritual began. Battling to see who could degrade themselves the most. Thunder thighs. Cankles. Big nose. Yellow teeth. Flat chest. Frizzy hair. Fat ass. No ass. Ugly feet. Short legs. Gross moles. Freckle face. Acne. Bacne. Too short. Too tall. Too pale. Beady eyes. Big ears.

We've heard all of them. Accused ourselves of being some of them. Some people call it "fishing for compliments" but its morphed into a much bigger demon. Somewhere in the history of girl culture we mixed up the idea of "confidence" with "self-indulgence." So we rip ourselves apart, all in an attempt to look humble. Boys are supposed to boast, girls are supposed to be oblivious to their attributes. But, in trying to be oblivious to our attributes, we start to only see our "flaws." Last night, I decided to write an apology to my body. Try it!

"Dear Body,

I'm sorry for hating the three moles on your back. It's actually pretty cool that they form a perfect right triangle! I'm sorry for calling your legs thunder thighs and for wishing I could chop off your gangly toes. I feel terrible about that time that I told you how I wished you looked like that other girl. That body ain't got nothing on you. The truth is, I actually kind of like you... Gangly toes and all.

Forever sorry,
Carina."

Tell me, how do you get over your body insecurities?