Have you ever caught your expression in a shop window or in a car window? Have you ever wondered who this person standing in front of you is? Have you ever had a moment where you really wonder, “Wow, do I really look like that?” – strict expression, shapeless hairstyle, gaze focused on everyday thoughts and worries.
Before we leave home, we often stand in front of the mirror and see the best version of ourselves, which we expect to show to others. However, when our daily lives take over, the image in the mirror is left behind. Our thoughts, worries, and anxieties influence our appearance and are evident in our expression, posture, and demeanor. No matter how much we try to focus on our inner qualities, it is difficult to completely ignore the way we and others look.
Some people go so far as emphasizing their appearance that they erase almost all facial features and change radically. People with a high level of self-esteem, which is entirely due to the way they look, go to great lengths to keep what they find attractive. In a society that emphasizes appearance, it is easy to let one’s feelings prevail over other factors on which self-esteem depends.
Women are particularly vulnerable to high self-esteem, depending on their appearance. Of great importance for this is the way in which the bodies, faces, and shapes of models are presented in the media. The easiest way to convey the emotions around your appearance is to compare yourself to images online. Although we all are already familiar with the photo processing procedure, retouching, and changing the bodies of the models
we see, this look still affects many women and makes their self-esteem go in the wrong direction because they compare themselves to unreal images.
Whether you are one of those people who repeat affirmations on a daily basis, or you believe that only hard work is the way to change something in yourself, you need to find the golden mean between the two to achieve your goals. Balance is key. Be your biggest fan. Believe in yourself more than you believe in everything else. Focus on love, but love for yourself. Love for ourselves is the strongest weapon with which we can overcome any negative thought.
But how can we ignore the shortcomings we see in ourselves in order to give ourselves the love we need? Focus on the traits you like. Turn your strengths into your personal secret weapons. Make what you like a priority while taking care of what you don’t like and want to change, but don’t give it the importance you put into your favorite qualities.
Not happy with your weight? Focus on the traits you like as you run on
the trail. Repeat how delicate your skin is, or how clean your face is. Choose one of the features that you love, and admire while training. You don’t like your teeth? Focus on your perfect make-up while making an appointment with the dentist. Be grateful for what you already have to achieve complete synchronicity between the way you feel and the way you look.
You will not believe how just a few kind words to yourself lead to a complete change in the way you perceive yourself. Choose for yourself what your strengths are and show them to the world as you strive to create the best version of yourself. Repeating affirmations that encourage self-love is the perfect way to combat the often-occurring shame nurtured by various sources and ideals of appearance. Maybe you could say, “I’m quite enough,” even when saying the words feels unnatural. Go with the flow and allow yourself to be positive. Focus on the good and make it a priority for you. This will improve the balance between how you feel and how you look – just a few beautiful words to yourself will make you shine from the inside out.
