Young and Malleable

When you’re young, 

you’re malleable, learning things that’ll make you who you’ll become.

I remembered growing up, shying at compliments, 

it was programmed in me, but it didn’t truly reflect my confidence. 

As women, we’re trained at a young age

that we’re always treated like models on a runway stage; 

look good, ooze confidence

but shy away at those compliments. 

Don’t get too sure of yourself, 

always deny, don’t over indulge oneself. 

Why can’t we just accept, 

“You look beautiful” without feeling like we’ve over stepped?

We’re trained, 

in our brains it’s ingrained. 

But I’m telling you to embrace it. 

We can exude class, beauty and wit

without feeling bad for being proud of it. 

I’m not talking cocky, but confident. 

Accept that compliment without shying away. 

In a world like ours, 

with people idolizing made-up, photo-shopped movie stars, 

confidence is hard enough to find, let alone keep 

so embrace your beauty and without feeling like a black sheep