Social media can be positive social space for some, but for others it has negative effects.

Some women compare themselves with other women or start feeling insecure about their looks and bodies when they follow models, influencers, or gym trainers.

An article by The Today Show reported on research from a mental health and addiction treatment facility that revealed women are most heavily influenced by social media in regard to how they feel about their bodies.

Oftentimes society has this idea of how women should look or dress, but it shouldn’t be like that.

I feel like social media should be an outlet for positivity and to feel good about yourself.

If young women follow influencers or models, they shouldn’t believe they have to look like these people. Instead, I recommend following people who make you feel good and uplift positive messages.

You should never feel like you have to put yourself in a box, or feel trapped or insecure about how you look or what body shape you have.

Alexia Lee, social media director for Her Campus at California Lutheran University, said that social media is starting to normalize all different types of body shapes, but there is still so much to get done.

“I read [somewhere] once that the average American woman wears a size 12. These people on social media are 00 to 2 and that just isn’t realistic,” Lee said in an email interview. “There is a start to normalizing body types in the social media realm, but it is slow going and there is still a lot of negativity and backlash when larger models are showing off clothes and such.”

A person should never be ashamed of the body shape that they have or how they look. Embracing yourself and feeling comfortable in your own skin is important because women can be so powerful and fearless.

Lee also said it is beautiful and empowering for women to embrace themselves in their natural skin and, most importantly, to love yourself for who you are.

“My advice would just be to be yourself. Because you only have one life and one body and you need to love it,” Lee said. “Our bodies do so much for us, especially as women. We have to show our bodies love, because self love is the most important love and every single person is beautiful as they are.”

To all my ladies, it is important to feel good, look good and attract success for yourself. Embrace your imperfections because you have the right to shine in this world.

I follow Stephanie Madera, a social media influencer and blogger who motivates other women to achieve their goals by teaching them the importance of self love.

Her Instagram, blog and podcast Baddie B Mindset is all about helping women gain their confidence, achieving their goals and practicing self-love.

Another page I follow is Fitwsis, a fitness and health-focused page on Instagram created by twin sisters Celine and Janelle Mughannam.

Their posts share their workouts, meal plans and healthy recipes to show their followers the importance of staying fit.

Start following people that make you feel good and let social media be a place where you can express yourself without worrying about what people might say, because nobody is you and that’s your power.

If you start worrying about what people might say about you then you won’t live life to the fullest. Unfortunately, that is life, but you have the decision to let it affect you or not.

We have one life and we need to live it up and do what makes us happy.

Be yourself and love yourself.