Body positivity is more than being comfortable with your appearance; it’s loving yourself and your body because it’s the only one you have.

Most people see this body positivity movement as a way for plus sized girls to feel better about themselves. That is not true. Everyone should love their body because it is the armor that protects their soul. Young men who feel that they are too tall and lanky, and women who think that they are too small and skinny should love their body just as much as a woman or man who weighs twice as much as them.

Media has shoved the idea of what a perfect man or woman should be down everyone’s throats for years. The celebrities and people that everyone worship on a day-to-day basis are not what real people look like. Girls want to look like Kylie Jenner and boys want to look like Zac Efron. There are so many other body types out there besides curvy or buff.

There can be serious effects because of low self-esteem due to unhappiness with one’s body image. According to the Mental Health Center at the University of Texas at Austin, low self-esteem can lead to increased anxiety, stress, depression and loneliness. Low self-esteem can also lead to drug and alcohol abuse as well as impact job and school performance.

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and with that the holiday season is upon us. Candy, cookies and good food are sure to scare some because of the dreaded weight gain. Have no fear! If you find yourself feeling down because you gained a little extra weight from the holidays, or even the cursed “freshman 15,” just know that your worth is not determined by your weight. If you feel like you need to work off those extra pounds, go for it! It’s your body and you should feel good in it.

Ariana Tarango, a CAC student, explains why she loves her body. “For me personally I think accepting my body as more than just how I look has helped me a lot. My body can climb and run and do things that I push it to do. It makes me more appreciative of the tool that my body is.” Tarango also explains that she tries her best to turn off that little voice in her head that thinks negative thoughts. She also makes sure that her friends don’t buy into their little voice; she helps open their eyes to self-destructive habits such as nitpicking their appearance.

If you’re having an especially rough day with your body image, try looking in the mirror and talking yourself up. Tarango does it to such an obnoxious point that she makes herself laugh. It helps her to walk away with a smile and a boost in her confidence.

It’s not an easy thing to love yourself if you haven’t really loved yourself before. However, it’s completely worth it once you do! It doesn’t matter if you’re tall, short, fat, skinny, curvy, etc., body positivity is about loving who you are because you’re unique and worthy of love.