Around this time every year tweets and posts of everyone needing to get their “perfect summer body” start: flat stomachs, slim thighs, perfect tans.

We start putting more and more pressure on ourselves to workout and eat right, striving to look our best.

However, do we do this to impress other people or to actually better our health?

I know whenever I get into one of my times of self doubt it’s usually because of other people — someone makes a comment toward me or I see an Instagram post where the girl was perfectly tan with a flat stomach and stick thin legs.

I start questioning myself, planning out how to lose weight and clear up my skin.

However, the truth that we have to remember is that behind every Instagram post there are 100 other deleted pictures, filters and someone that’s self conscious about posting the picture.

In a day and time where social media consumes what we do, we can’t let our minds be flooded with images of other people and things.

Everyone struggles at some point with their body image, guys and girls. We have to lift each other up while also staying confident in ourselves! Being confident in ourselves, despite seeing someone else.

All people are different, with different genes and health struggles. Just because they don’t show these genes and struggles in an Instagram post doesn’t mean that they aren’t there.

Learn to be aware of the behind the scenes of a picture before you jump to conclusions that something is wrong with you because you don’t look as stick thin as they do.

You are perfect, there’s no other way to look at it. If all girls were stick thin with perfect hair and smooth skin or all guys had perfect six-packs and the exact same hair, it would make the world extremely boring!

If you want to lose weight, go for it! Be fueled by wanting to better yourself, not to strive to look like someone else.

Embrace your differences. Don’t hide them and lift others up in the meantime.