This post is sponsored post by Mirum. All opinions are my own.

Now that my twin girls have entered their tween years, I’ve started to notice that they are much more self-conscious about their appearances. My sweet, beautiful girls, who have always been so carefree and confident, are starting to question if they are pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough, and popular enough. That makes me sad.

My husband and I have worked so hard to build up our girls’ self-confidence, but there are still days that they struggle. It just goes to show how big of an impact our society has on girls and young people in general. How they think and feel about themselves is so often a result of what they see in ads, movies, tv shows and on social media. As parents, I think it’s more important than ever to remind our girls on a daily basis that they are beautiful and perfect just the way they are.

Looking back at my own childhood, I can relate to how my girls are feeling. I was pretty much a tomboy growing up. I loved playing sports, hated dressing up, and could care less about my looks.

Like a lot of girls, that all changed in middle school. The teen years hit, and all of the sudden, I felt like I had to curl my hair and wear makeup every day to fit in and be one of the pretty, popular girls. I even quit soccer, my favorite sport, to join the cheerleading squad because that’s what all the popular girls were doing. I was so desperate to fit in.

The reality is none of those things made me popular, and they definitely didn’t make me a better person. Girls were still nasty and called me ugly. One of the popular guys I like said I was “dog ugly” and said he would never date me.

Those words hurt, and still to this day, I oftentimes don’t feel pretty enough. I tend to hide behind my social media accounts and rarely share photos of me because I feel less than perfect. I’m working on changing that.

I’m realizing that my little comments here and there that seem so insignificant, may be affecting my girls in a negative way. I need to stop saying things like, “I look ugly without makeup” and “Ugh, I look so fat in this outfit,” because my beautiful girls hear those words and I don’t want them to grow up feeling like they aren’t good enough.

If I could go back in time, there are so many things I would tell my younger self (and now my daughters)! Here are a few things I would say…

1. Be True to You – Who cares what others think! Dress in what makes you feel comfortable, style your makeup or hair the way you want, be true to who you are, and don’t try to be someone else.

2. Do What You Love – Whether it’s sports, music, art, etc., do the things that make you truly happy. You’ll be miserable trying to live out someone else’s dream!

3. Love Your Body – No body shaming! You are one-of-a-kind; no one else is like you, so love and respect your body.

4. Choose Your Friends Wisely – Don’t waste your time on people who make you feel bad about yourself or bring you down. Surround yourself with people who are kind, loving, and accept you for you!

The Dove Self-Esteem Project

I want my girls to be confident and love their bodies, which is why I am so happy to partner with Dove to support the Dove Self-Esteem Project, a mission to help young people build their self-esteem through educational resources and programs.

Dove has been one of my favorite beauty brands for years, not just because the products are great, but also because the brand wants all women to feel beautiful. From the “Hour With Her” initiative to the “Dove Self-Esteem Project,” Dove is on a mission to boost a girl’s self-esteem for a lifetime.

Dove has tons of great resources to help with teasing and bullying, media and celebrities, and respecting yourself. Visit the Dove Self-Esteem Project to learn more.

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