; ;Before my counseling session last week, I waited in the waiting room for a few minutes. On the table in between the circle of chairs lay about 20 different magazines of various companies. They caught my eye at first because of the sheer reason that I was bored and looking for something to read for a few minutes before my counselor arrived. But, as I looked at the table, strewn with magazines of beautiful people, I noticed something- the models all look exactly the same!
Aside from the hair color and a few minor details of each model/actress, looking at all these magazines in the same scene got me thinking. Whether I want to believe it or not, I think I subconsciously look at these models and actresses and long for the day when I look exactly like them: perfect hair, fashionable clothes, no sign of the slightest double chin, etc. And, while this thought of mine may not last for very long after I get lazy and tie my hair up in a pony tail day after day, the thought still persists.
Why do we strive to look perfect all the time?
Doing so means 1 or both of 2 things will inevitibly happen:
- We will strive for a perfection we can never fully achieve, and live our lives reaching for the impossible.
- We will obsess over our looks so much that these superficial thoughts take priority over a lot of really important things in our lives. ;
Either way, these thoughts are silly and really unhealthy.
Seeing as it is the first day of the year, I thought I would bring this beef of mine to light and talk about my frustration with media crushing my confidence in knowing that I am, in fact, a beautiful woman. I also want to remind myself of the beauty I have inside, regardless of the clothes/makeup I adorn myself with nor the incessent pressure we all receive from the media day in and day out.
First of all, it isn’t fair to assume that I have to time and energy it takes to look “perfect”. I mean, these lovely ladies on the magazines are professional “figures”, spending all hours of their work day exercising and working with professionals to make themselves look the best. I, however, can barely pay my bills each month after working and going to school full time, making my physical appearance take the financial back burner to perfecly waxed eye brows and $100 mascara. ;
Even if I did have the money or time to, it wouldn’t matter. Most of these actresses are airbrushed anyway. And, since I have not mastered the technology it takes to airbush myself, I know that I will never look like any of the actresses I envy.
Life means so much more then who is prettier then whom, or what you look like. Cheesy as it sounds, beauty does flow from inside our souls and onto our faces and presence. Please, please, please, if you do nothing more to better yourself or change your perspective on the world this year, remind yourself everyday of how you are beautiful and worth people’s time- even if you don’t fit the “model mold”. Because, let’s face it, life is more interesting when we all embrace what makes us different and let that shine!
Now I am off to squeeze in a run- 3 runs in a row, what what?! I am proud of myself:) I will be back later today- talk to you later!
Happy New Year, everyone!
My Question For You Is…
- What do you tell yourself to remind you of the beauty you have inside?
See Ya~ Kay
Kaylie, I absolutely adore not only this post.. but YOU in general!! I truly do hope others read this post & realize that they are in fact beautiful & have everything in the world going for them <3.
Happy New Year. May 2013 bring you nothing but happiness & joy!
Jessie recently posted..Happy New Year :: It’s 2013
Aw thanks! You are awesome, too! I hope you and your boy had a wonderful New Year!!!
great message, I think a lot of us get caught up in that perspective of wanting to feel perfect or being perfect. really no one is, it is just an illusion. have a great new years day!
Alex @ therunwithin recently posted..Fact. It’s 2013.
I could not agree more! Striving for perfection is really a cruel, endless game. Happy New Year to you, too!!!
Well said. Now, regarding that 3-mile run…did you leave without me??
Thanks, dad! No I did not leave without you- we are on our way out the door now for a run!
fabulous post! I wrote this post back in November dealing with this very issue. It’s something that I have to go back and reread often: http://journeytoahealthylife.blogspot.com/2012/11/beautifulthis-is-long-post.html
Tami Grandi recently posted..…and the next Chapter begins (warning long post)
That is so great that you reread that post- it is beautiful and so true! I have a few quotes and bible verses that I reread quite often as a reminder, too!
Absolutely WONDERFUL way to start the new year, hun! Seriously, I love this post and couldn’t agree more with what you wrote. I think it’s gotten to the point in our culture that we don’t even always consciously realize that we are striving to be as perfect as the women we see portrayed in the media, but it’s definitely still there (in my case anyway), and it’s something I want to work on in 2013. We’re all beautiful the way we are, most especially because of our imperfections
Caitlin recently posted..2013: A Year of the Moment
I am so glad that we are all imperfect! It makes life more interesting
Aww… seriously, you of all people have NOTHING to worry about. You’re gorgeous!!
But I get what you’re saying. The whole media beauty thing really does brainwash you after a while. It’s hard to remember that those people on the covers of magazines aren’t actual or realistic examples of REAL people.
Miranda @ Biting Life recently posted..Book Review: What Alice Forgot
You are so sweet! I think that you are beautiful, too!!! It is so refreshing to see real women with blogs who have such a great platform!