We have all looked in a mirror and been upset with our bodies or compared the way we look to others. The problem with this is that we all have different body shapes, and not one of them is the “perfect shape.”

Whether it is women aspiring to have the look of a Kardashian or men longing to have a toned six pack, as a society, we must come to terms with the fact that very few people have those qualities naturally.

It doesn’t matter if you are a beautiful size 16 or a gorgeous size 2 — what matters is how you treat the people around you. As young adults we need to break the stereotypical societal standards for beauty.

This should start with brands being inclusive of all sizes and not sectioning clothing off with words like “plus-sized.”

Brands such as Brandy Melvile have been glorified while only selling one size clothing that won’t fit most girls above a size 4.

Many teens today have turned to unhealthy eating habits due to the pressure they feel to fit in with people they see on social media. A group of researchers in Australia recently found that the more time teens around the world spend on social media, the more likely they are to establish an eating disorder.

The reasoning behind this has to do with many influencers using editing software such as Photoshop to change the way they really look. Many will trim down their waist or make certain assets larger than they truly are.

Within the past year, many celebrities such as Lizzo, Serena Williams, Sam Smith, James Corden and many more have spoken out about normalizing all different body types. Lizzo has been a large advocate for being “body-normative,” which she defines as “a parallel force to body-positivity” because instead of just being positive about all shapes, she wants them to all be seen as normal.

Smith sent out a similar message around Christmas 2019.

“Let’s make sure we remind our bodies during this time that no matter what weight we are, we are deserving of love and acceptance,” Smith said in an Instagram post.

Although this is all a step in the right direction, as a generation, we must continue to make sure that we normalize all shapes and sizes because we are all made to be unique, and that is what makes us all beautiful in our own special way.