By Elizabeth Grade 6
Have you ever copied someone? Like famous movie stars or music icons? Or do you like to wear the same clothes as your “popular” friends? Whether you are wearing trendy shirts or using popular cosmetics, it all shows that you are overly concerned with others’ perceptions, rather than your true voice. Expanding your self-confidence can help you be authentic.
Why is it so easy for us to listen to others’ opinions? Think about it: if a student who is in the limelight of your school begins to wear a certain brand of shoes, do you want to wear them just like her? Perhaps you will. That is because you want to gain more appreciation; it seems it will help you keep up with the trend and be approved of by others. This phenomenon shows that most people lack self-confidence and do not really know the easiest way to attract attention——be your true self.
To learn about yourself, first, let us hear the story of the “Armored Knight”:
Long ago, there lived a knight who was very fierce and powerful. He fought dragons thousands of times and rescued many princesses. Sometimes, the princesses did not even want him to rescue them! In order to rescue them as fast as he could, he never took off his armor and treated it like a treasure. His wife was disappointed because she and her son could not see his real face. But when the knight finally tried to take off his armor, he found that the metal and his body had integrated into one! The armor had become an inseparable prison. The knight was panicked; he went to the forest to find the witch who could help him.
This time, the knight set out——not for the princesses, but for himself.
In the real world, we all wear different armors at different places and times. Just like the knight, many of us are trapped in our own “modern armor.” We echo the same popular opinions, all to blend in and protect ourselves from judgment. But if we keep this “mask” on for too long, we might wake up one day and realize we’ve forgotten who we truly are underneath the layers of trends. We are often too busy exchanging our armor, but we should always remember: Your armor might protect you, but it shouldn’t define you.
To recognize your real face, you should have self-esteem. Self-esteem makes you love yourself and brings you self-confidence. To build self-esteem, we start by loving our bodies. What do you think about your body? Do you have dissatisfactions, like acne or a nevus? You might feel bad about yourself when you focus on what you consider “wrong,” wondering what your classmates will think. But actually, the only person who truly focuses on your appearance is yourself.
So, we have to embrace our bodies, especially when we feel the urge to be someone else. There are many people who are famous because they are being themselves, like Lady Gaga. Trust your own appearance; people value authenticity over imitation.
People who believe in themselves have more courage to socialize and stay with others, gaining fulfillment and love. This builds self-confidence and, most importantly, gives you a clear view of what is right and what is not. When you do the right things, you feel confident.
All of this builds self-esteem. It helps you understand that what others think of you does not define you. Develop yourself, learn from others, but never forget your true face. Don’t be a copy of someone else; be the first-rate version of yourself.
