It seems like everywhere I go, there’s some form of media telling me something about women. Whether it’s the larger-than-life posters of Victoria’s Secret models smiling down at me as I walk through the mall, the lyrics to music that comes on my radio driving home from school, or the magazine covers on display at the supermarket, I am constantly being told what I should wear, say, do, and care about. What’s a girl to do?

If I want things to change, I need to be the change. The following is my plan; my mantra as I single-handedly dismantle patriarchal standards (or at the least, make an attempt).

I will remind myself that the women I see in media do not look like the average woman.

The average fashion model weighs 23% less than the average woman and is heavily doctored in Photoshop before pictures hit the press. So many women, including myself, forget that celebrities are products of personal trainers, makeup artists, and intense photo editing. (Believe it or not, Beyonce did not ‘wake up like this’). From now on, when I find myself struggling with body image, I will consciously remind myself that the women I see on TV and in magazines are not realistic and should not shape my image of myself.

I will seek out media featuring strong women.

According to one study, women played less than 15% of business executives, political figures, or science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) employees in movies. Lots of female characters seem like they’re just there for sex appeal: over a quarter of women in movies get partially naked, while less than 10% of men do. The scariest statistic is this one: The more hours of television a young girl watches, the fewer options she believes she has in her future life and career. The opposite is true for boys. I’m not gonna let lack of strong female representation determine my goals. Instead, I’m going to seek out movies, music and TV shows with kick-ass women in them.

I will boycott media that profits from sexism.

Any company that profits from my hypersexualization or subordination will not be making money off of me. I’ll take note of casual (or overt) sexism I observe in my life and avoid supporting the proponents with my money. Yes, sex sells – but I won’t be buying it.

I will support media that challenges sexism.

There are a ton of girl-power movies, TV shows, magazines, and musicians out there. Sergeant Rita Vrataski from Edge of Tomorrow, Cheryl Strade of Wild, and, of course, Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games trilogy are just a few of the exceptional female characters in 2014’s movies. Girl rockers are shaking up all genres on the music scene. TV shows like Orange is the New Black and Scandal are challenging on-screen gender norms. There’s even feminism in some advertising: Check out Dove’s Real Beauty campaign and Aerie’s #AerieReal.

I will remind the women in my life of the beauty they possess.

A little compliment can go a long way towards making someone love and appreciate themselves for who they are. A world that caters to women who fit a certain mold means us females have to stick together.