Because I am raising two teenage daughters in the image-conscious city of Los Angeles, I have become more aware than ever of the games we play with our self-esteem. As women, we tend to compare ourselves with the flawless images we see in popular culture, against whom we will never measure up. This only perpetuates our fear and self-doubt. Instead of playing the comparison game, why not tap into our empathy and gratitude and look up to our real modern-day heroes: the woman who lost her leg fighting in Iraq, the women who are running marathons to raise money for breast cancer research?

Who do you see in your family, your school, at work, or in the news that you admire? Try being your own hero for a day and describe how you feel about yourself at the end of it.

–Arianna Huffington