More Dear Diary Blogs
- My Body Isn't Developing Fast Enough!
- It's Demanding to be PERFECT!
- OBSESSED with celebrities!
- Guys, the media?... who's to blame for the way girls behave?
- Trying To Be Better Than BORING
- My Style Vs. My Mom's Style
- How do siblings stop fighting and start getting along?
- Bad Driving
- Feeling Like a LOSER
- What's Wrong With My BFF?
- The Truth about Marijuana
- STOP the Negative Thinking
- Just Tired and Sad? Or is it Depression?
- Figuring Out Your FUTURE!
- Starting your own Diary
- An Awkward Topic
- Sister Squabbles
- Sweating and smelly, what's a girl to do?
- Dealing with Being Teased
- Boys on the Brain!
- Feeling Stuck When Friends Are Changing
- SWEARING: What's the big deal?
- First Kiss, was it a mistake?
- Interview with a Bully
- Death and the Loss of a Loved One
- Interview with a girl who has been bullied
- My parents divorced...and it gets worse!
- Sisters - same genes, just not the same 'jeans'
- Oh No...BFFs like the same guy!
- Sometimes I really DON'T LIKE my Mom!
- I tried smoking. Now how do I say no?
- How Come I'm Not Allowed?
- Are My Friends Really Friends?
May 2010 Blogs
- Real Girl: Jen
- Volleyball - bump... set... SPIKE!
- Allergies - What's behind the watery eyes and runny nose?
- It's Demanding to be PERFECT!
- Speak out on Gratitude
- Til DEBT Do Us Part
- Indulge in delicious, decadent chocolate... that is FAIR for everyone!
- The Mo(u)rning Letters, Chapter 1

- VIDEO: Justin Nozuka

It's Demanding to be PERFECT!
DEAR DIARY, May 2010, by Megan Ryland
It's Demanding to
be PERFECT!
Dear Megan,
What do you think about people who eat anything they want and never gain a pound? It's like, some people try so hard to stay thin and stuff and other girls say "I can eat anything I want". My aunt says we'll look back at photos when we thought we had flaws and we'll see that there was nothing wrong with us. I just wish it wasn't so demanding to be perfect!
Lucy, Palm Springs, Florida
Dear Lucy,
You’re right that it IS very demanding to be perfect – or to try to be. Unfortunately, no one can live up to perfection. We’ve all got features that make us unique or different from the 'Barbie Doll' standard of beauty, and that’s actually pretty great. Once we realize and accept that we’re all different shapes and sizes, it’s easier to relax about the shape that we are. Even the people who are rail-thin get teased about the way they look and often they feel bad about their size too. No one really wins when it comes to this sort of thing. Body image is a stressful issue for most people because of this unrealistic standard of beauty and it takes some time to understand that “flaws” are the things that keep us from being 'beauty clones'! Who wants to be just like everyone else?
Your aunt is right. You are probably going to look back at old photographs and realize that you were totally cute, but here’s something else to think about: you can also look at photos right now and realize that you’re totally cute. If you stop looking for someone else’s idea of perfection and start to recognize that you’ve got your own brand of beauty going on, you’re going to be ahead of the curve. When everyone else is looking back at their beauty, you’ll be looking forward because you’ve already got that one figured out!
~ Megan
Add Comment
May 2010 Partners
See Back Issues
Tags
Megan Ryland, dear diary, beauty, Barbie doll image, it's hard to be perfect, totally cute, flaws, different shapes and sizes, no one can live up to it

