Juniors Annabelle Messer and Megan LeBlanc continue the blog series, “Girl Talk” covering issues spotlighting the triumphs and struggles from the female perspective. Check out their fourth blog on First Dates. For the first blog article in the series read BLOG: Girl Talk–Sadies

Society’s opinion on our personal lives influences our self esteem more than we think. The feeling of “I’m not good enough” and “I wish I was different” crowds our thoughts and takes over our view of ourselves. Every flaw society notices in us haunts our minds and constantly reminds us that we are not accepted for our true selves. Society believes that its opinion out-rules everyone else’s and that we should change to meet its standards.

An opinion society claims about girls is that they are physically and emotionally weak. Society stereotypes us as “girly girls” who refuse to participate in anything that would ruin our looks in any way. Not all girls feel this way and want to participate in physical activities but people immediately put doubt in our minds.

It also seems to us that society’s mission is to point out all our flaws and make our confidence drop. This action gives them power over us and makes us feel weak.

Sophomore Natalie Arndt talks about why she disagrees with society’s opinion on girls’ weaknesses and gives advice to girls who lack strength.

“I do not agree with society’s opinion that girls are weak,” Arndt said. “I know we are different than boys but girls have different strengths and weaknesses. Girls tend to take society’s opinion personally. My advice to other girls would be to find something that you have strength in and use it as motivation to strengthen your weaknesses.”

God tells us that our strength needs to be found through Him. In Philippians 4:13 it says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Whenever we feel weak, God gives us strength to overcome our struggles and with Him all things become possible. With God, our fears disappear because His strength becomes ours.

In the following podcast, Megan LeBlanc interviews a group of girls about lies that society tells them, Jan. 10.

Whether through social media or on television, society acknowledges women whom they believe fit their idea of a “perfect girl”. The models and actresses we see on our screens make us long for the skinny body, perfect smile, clear skin, long hair and clothing that society would consider “perfect” or “trendy”.

Realizing how much attention society grants these models for their looks, our minds immediately notice that our looks do not measure up to theirs. Our flaws overtake our view of ourselves and changing our looks becomes the first and only option that come to mind. What girls often miss about beauty is that it comes from the inside more than the outside. Good looks do not measure up to a good heart.

Macie Thompson, ‘19, explains her definition of beauty versus society’s and gives advice to girls who feel like they need to change to be beautiful.

“Society tells us that girls need to be skinny, tall, have cute clothes and that everything should basically be perfect about ourselves,” Thompson said. “I do not agree with their opinion because God made us all beautiful and however you are most comfortable and feel most beautiful is important for you. I also think that inner beauty is more important than outer beauty. If your not pretty on the inside then it makes your outward beauty not beautiful anymore.

“Some advice I would give to girls is that they are completely beautiful and that it should not matter what other people say,” Thompson continued. “When we start listening to people and start comparing ourselves to others, it starts to bring us down but God said we are completely beautiful in his eyes and we are made in his image so that automatically makes us as beautiful as we can be.”

God tells us that our inner beauty surpasses all of our outer beauty. In 1 Peter 3: 3-4 it says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight”. God values our heart above all things and He made us all beautiful in His own image. 

A relationship with God needs to take precedence in our lives, but society believes that a relationship with a guy should become top priority. The importance of a first date, a first kiss, and a boyfriend sounds more appealing to girls because they want to fit in.

Girls talk about their first date and first kiss stories and it seems bizarre if you don’t have one to share. Peer pressure kicks in and girls force a relationship with a guy just to fit in. They become so oblivious to the dangers of forcing a relationship and fail to realize that God waits for us to start a relationship with him.

Freshman Natalie Johnson talks about her view of society’s opinion and why she believes a relationship with God should become a priority over a relationship with a guy.

“I do not agree with society’s opinion,” Johnson said. “I think that as a girl and seeing how the world is, we are tempted to go and change ourselves for a guy and not live for Jesus. I think society has this opinion because we have allowed ourselves to direct our opinions away from what the Bible tells us. God tells us to remain in him and turn away any temptation that goes against his will.

“A guy is never worth your relationship with God,” Johnson continues. “God is someone who will always be there for you and he will have the right person for you. If he really wants you to be with that guy, then someday in the future God will bless you with him.”

God longs for a relationship with us and wants us to turn our focus onto Him. Acts 17:27 says, “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us”. God wants for us to seek him and to turn to Him for comfort. His love for us never ends and He gives us the attention that we search for.

Society tells us these lies and it makes us feel awful about ourselves. Their opinion sticks with us and we feel like their standards reach far beyond ours. We need to remember that God’s opinion matters more than anyone else’s. God made us through His spirit and beautiful through His own image. For true acceptance and approval, look no further than the throne of God.

For another blog, read BLOG: Girl Talk-First Dates. For another article, read Local farmers markets thrive in winter months.

Megan LeBlanc can be reached via email and twitter.