“Me”. It’s a small word with big meaning, and that meaning is as individual to each of us as the way we look. Through interviews, I was able to discover what “me” means to other people, and how they have learnt to appreciate the beauty in themselves. <br><div style="text-align: right;">Psychologist, Dr Hart</div> Jade, 24, accounting manager<br>As a song in Ugly Betty puts it,“It's a pretty person’s world”. I understand this more than most, as I have always been plain-looking. I'm a girl who’d love to look good. Well, who wouldn't? So, ever since I discovered selfie apps that could remove my freckles, enlarge my eyes and even slim my jawline, I have become addicted. I spend hours every day editing my selfies, posting them and eagerly checking my phone a hundred times for comments. Each “like” boosts my confidence. Dad thinks I am a narcissist, but what I say is that my pictures aren't hurting anyone, so who cares?<br><br>Dr Hart says: <br>Obsessive online photo editing indicates a lack of self-confidence and a desire for attention. However, the image Jade presents to obtain the praise of others is false. People who pretend to be someone they are not tend to misjudge themselves.<br> Anthony, 21, college student<br>I never really cared about my appearance. That’s why I could never understand my sister, who has 17 lipsticks and can’t decide which one to use every morning. I only used to have five identical pairs of trousers and five identical shirts. When I first moved into my dormitory<br>at college, this made my roommates quite confused as they saw me in the same clothes day after day. Last month they registered me for a TV programme, “A New You”. It felt bizarre at first. I didn’t like being reviewed from head to toe. But I was surprised at how good I looked after the makeover! For the first time in my life I saw myself as a handsome and well-presented young man. At that moment, I perceived that external beauty isn’t totally worthless. It can be an expression of our personalities, helping us make a good and positive impression on others. <br><br>Dr Hart says:<br>It’s true that inner beauty is very important, but external beauty shouldn't be completely overlooked. It plays a part in the image we present to the world, and making an effort with your appearance can leave a positive first impression on others and boost your confidence.<br> Emma, 17, senior high school student<br>Ever since I was little, I’ve been larger than other girls. For a long time, this really bothered me. People would stare at me because I was “big” and I hated the way I looked. My anxiety drove me to try every means possible to lose weight, including dieting and weight-loss pills, <br>but this brought me nothing but pain and poor health. Everything changed when one day I came across the success story of a plus-size model, Tess Holliday. Although she's larger than most other models, she's really attractive and has the confidence to be herself – even in an industry full of beauty stereotypes. Her story changed my ideas about what it means to be beautiful. I realised that my health, mental and physical, is the most important thing. Now I exercise a couple of times a week but just to keep fit. I mean, isn’t it better that I’m large <br>and happy, instead of skinny and unhealthy?<br><br>Dr Hart says:<br>I completely agree with Emma – being healthy is beautiful, and we should wear that beauty with confidence. What I really admire is the way she has acknowledged that good health not only makes us more beautiful, but happier, too!