When I first read this quote my mind immediately goes to the movie The Princess Diaries. Now, I believe that The Princess Diaries is a staple that every young girl should watch. Not only does it take viewers through the journey of Mia Thermopolis navigating the rules of being a princess, but it teaches some valuable life lessons that we tend to forget.

Personally, I fall susceptible to letting people dictate the way I feel. It’s one of my character flaws, but it’s one that I can work on improving. It’s human to let certain events, words, or actions impact us, but we fail to recognize that we have control over our reactions.

Whenever something or someone causes harm, my immediate reaction is to beat myself up. Not physically, but mentally which can be just as if not more harmful. Phrases like “you’re not good enough” and “you’ll never get any better” are staples in these reactions.

I was an absolute wreck when I was younger when it came to this, but as I’ve grown older, I find myself finding ways to combat this negative self-talk. The most impactful and successful way is through my faith. I have to keep reminding myself that in God’s eyes, no one is inferior. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made. Even Jesus views us as equals. The man who walked on water and raised the dead views us as equals. Amazing right!! God gives each and everyone of us the exact same amount of love and care, not favoring one over the other. It may take time and practice, but you too can see the same importance that God sees in you.

If we all view ourselves at the same high standard that God does, then we’ve already completed a majority of the progress. The two most important opinions in this world our God’s and your own. Any other doesn’t matter. If you can’t look yourself in the mirror and feel proud of who you are, then you’ve already lost the battle. It’s hard to hold defense to other people’s opinions when you can’t even form a nice one about yourself.

Once you’ve made yourself proud of your progress, keep pushing yourself. Test the limits. Just watch out. Don’t be fearful of it, but the further you go in life, the more you’ll have to defend yourself against that feeling of inferiority. Yet, to do so you need to look in the mirror and remember that what you see is exactly what God sees.