Puberty: Cultivating Body Positivity | Tabitha Oluwatofunmi Moyegun | TEDxStart Rite Schools Abuja

Transcriber: Tiffany Byers Reviewer: Maurcio Kakuei Tanaka Why is it that from my perspective, we look the same? But when you open your mouth to talk, all I hear is judgments on the differences that we both share. Insecurity, according to Wikipedia, is uncertainty or anxiety about oneself, lack of confidence. But I define insecurity as bullying yourself, feeling inferior, feeling segregated towards societal norms. Insecurity does not come

naturally unless you are forced to feel like you arent good enough. It starts to build up when compare yourself to others, thinking, Why am I so different?, saying, Why am I so short? Why am I so tall? Why am I so skinny? Why am I so fat? Why is my strict structure like this? But why should you compare yourself? Why are you trying to view yourself

in a negative light? Why are you trying to fit in the box that the world made for you? Being born in this decade or generation is a struggle to many teenagers who are just hitting puberty or growing because theyve given access to social media, given the views on how theyre supposed to act, how theyre supposed to look, how they're supposed to behave. But I believe its

time for young people to strike back and challenge it. Look at yourself the way you want to do. Create a mold for yourself to fit in. Create a standard for your own self. Do not let the world crumple you up and throw you away. People are controlled by the perception they have of themselves. They are slowed by downwards. If you are taught that you cannot do

anything, you really wont because you do not value yourself the way you are supposed to. Let me ask you a question: Do you think that the people at the top made it to where they are right now by dwelling on their imperfections? By comparing themselves? By focusing on their weak spots? Of course not. They got to where they are by turning their imperfections to their strengths,

by turning all the harsh words and criticism into stepping stones to their goal. No one in this world is perfect, not even models or actors or even successful business owners. The only thing that differentiates you and them is that they did not let anyone hold them down from achieving their dream. Every individual is beautiful. Every shape, size, height, and color is. But nobody realizes because of

the way society has made them to look. When you wake up in the morning, I want you to look at yourself in the mirror and remind yourself that you are beautiful. Thank you. (Applause)