When do we learn to love ourselves as we are, instead of as who we think we should be?

It's no secret that the fashion world and beauty industry have spent years bringing in billions of dollars by making the majority of the world feel ugly and insecure about ourselves. Oh, I've been guilty of it for sure. Sitting down and reading Teen Vogue, or Tiger Beat when I was younger, and then onto mags like Cosmo, LouLou and Flare. I spent countless hours watching shows like Breaker High, One Tree Hill and The OC, wishing I could look like the beautiful people who graced the world's presence by sharing their perfection with us. 

In my early twenties, for the first time in my life, I managed to get in shape. I was fit, I had an amazing six pack, and I should have been thrilled with my body. Instead, I still saw my every imperfection. I'd look at those girls in the magazines and shows and realize even if I lost more weight, I could never look like them. The doctors told me that even though my rib cage and collar bone was starting to jut out, according to their charts I was still overweight.

I was still obsessed with every flaw that I felt made me look awful. My skin was nowhere near the perfect, pore-less smooth of these models I saw everywhere, and even with the great shape I was in I still had stretch-marks and a few bits of flab. 

The worst part? I knew exactly what was done to these models. We had an entire class on how to do this in photoshop, and on how the models and actresses really looked compared to how we were made to see them. And yet still, they had me convinced. 

Eight years later, I'm still struggling. I find it hard to accept my imperfections. That scar on my forehead where my mole once was, the fact that I have trouble with my weight because of my PCOS, and that I have three times as much hair on my arms as the average female. Even though my husband tells me every day that he believes I'm sexy and beautiful, I look at myself in the mirror and I struggle to see it sometimes. 

And the media? Still doing what they do best. Except for a few companies who have realized that something needed to be done. Some accuse them of simply using it as a marketing campaign, and maybe it is. But, at least for a while they're getting it right. 

Dove has gone to extreme lengths to start focusing on the average woman -- to show her beauty in all shapes, sizes and body types through their Dove Campaign For Real Beauty. Aerie has joined with their new #aeriereal promise, a promise that they will not retouch a single portion of any of their models. Now, when you walk in their stores, instead of finding yourself staring at picture-perfect size 00, flawless creations, you're greeted with girls who are perfect in every imperfection. 

The thing is, every little bit helps. When the outside world takes a step to help women realize their true beauty, the impact can be incredible. I still look in the mirror some days and wonder how anyone could see beauty in me. But then, I see the real women in these ads. The ones who are untouched, who have scars and acne, skin discolourations and sometimes, awkward rolls. I see them, and I feel better about myself. Not because I feel that I am superior in any way, but because I am just like them. 

I am perfect as I am. Anything I choose to do to better that is just a bonus. But if I choose not to, I am still beautiful where I am. Every roll, every flaw, and every imperfection. It's time to start loving the skin I'm in, because if I can't love who I am, there will always be something missing in my life.