It's Time to Love Your Reflection in the Mirror Again!
Have you started to dread looking in the mirror? Do you deliberately turn the other way when
walking past parked cars or store windows? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. At some point or another we all, male and female, start to feel a disconnect between the way we see ourselves in our heads and
what we see in the mirror. This tends to happen when we gain weight, have kids, are getting over an
illness, injury or surgical procedure or simply start to get a little older. Or in some cases we carry little
pet peeves about our appearances and our bodies throughout our lives. Yet, while it’s completely natural
for us to harbor certain hang ups about ourselves- if we’re not careful this can cross the line into
self loathing. And that can have a seriously damaging effect on our psyche.
walking past parked cars or store windows? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. At some point or another we all, male and female, start to feel a disconnect between the way we see ourselves in our heads and
what we see in the mirror. This tends to happen when we gain weight, have kids, are getting over an
illness, injury or surgical procedure or simply start to get a little older. Or in some cases we carry little
pet peeves about our appearances and our bodies throughout our lives. Yet, while it’s completely natural
for us to harbor certain hang ups about ourselves- if we’re not careful this can cross the line into
self loathing. And that can have a seriously damaging effect on our psyche.
It can make us turn down the opportunity to go out and see friends because we’re worried that others
will be judging us. It can cause us to miss out on important family events because there’s nothing in the
wardrobe that we don’t hate ourselves in. It can start to take control of our lives. If this seems achingly
familiar, it’s time to take back your life, your confidence and your self love.
will be judging us. It can cause us to miss out on important family events because there’s nothing in the
wardrobe that we don’t hate ourselves in. It can start to take control of our lives. If this seems achingly
familiar, it’s time to take back your life, your confidence and your self love.
It’s time to love your reflection in the mirror again.
Stop holding yourself to impossible standards
Okay, first of all, it’s time to make a distinction between real beauty and the kind of airbrushed
manufactured beauty that you see in magazines, on fashion websites and in store windows.
Don’t loathe yourself for failing to attain the physically impossible. While you’re at it, there’s very little
point comparing yourself to the photos of you in your college days. You’ve learned, you’ve matured and
you’ve grown. You need to wear the experiences that have shaped you with pride. Define a realistic
standard of beauty and work towards that. It might take a while, but you can condition yourself to stop
holding your appearance to an unattainably high standard. Moreover,
who says it’s only men that look better as they age?
manufactured beauty that you see in magazines, on fashion websites and in store windows.
Don’t loathe yourself for failing to attain the physically impossible. While you’re at it, there’s very little
point comparing yourself to the photos of you in your college days. You’ve learned, you’ve matured and
you’ve grown. You need to wear the experiences that have shaped you with pride. Define a realistic
standard of beauty and work towards that. It might take a while, but you can condition yourself to stop
holding your appearance to an unattainably high standard. Moreover,
who says it’s only men that look better as they age?
Get healthy
We’re not necessarily talking about losing weight. We’re not talking transforming your body shape. We’re
talking about being healthy. Healthiness gives us a natural glow that others tend to gravitate towards. What’s more, it gives us the confidence that comes from knowing we’re taking care of our bodies.
talking about being healthy. Healthiness gives us a natural glow that others tend to gravitate towards. What’s more, it gives us the confidence that comes from knowing we’re taking care of our bodies.
So, rather than punishing yourself, try to be kind to yourself. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Try
not to spend quite so long sitting. Exercise as much as you can (even if it’s just a brisk walk). Eat more
plants and less of everything else (only plant foods are rich in essential phytochemicals, vitamins and
minerals to keep your body healthy and happy now and for years to come). And you can’t get all of that
even with the best multivitamin.
not to spend quite so long sitting. Exercise as much as you can (even if it’s just a brisk walk). Eat more
plants and less of everything else (only plant foods are rich in essential phytochemicals, vitamins and
minerals to keep your body healthy and happy now and for years to come). And you can’t get all of that
even with the best multivitamin.
Body issues really holding you back? Remember that you have options
There are some of us for whom body issues aren’t just a nagging doubt, they’re utterly crippling. They
can severely impact on our social lives and cause us to be a withdrawn and self-doubing shadow of who
we once were. And no amount of dieting or exercise can change that. If that’s the case, a surgical
procedure may be an option. Just make sure you do your due diligence on your tummy tuck or
breast augmentation surgeon and learn all that you can about the procedure before making a
commitment to it. While it’s a decision that nobody should make lightly it’s certainly not a decision that
anyone has the right to shame you out of making.
can severely impact on our social lives and cause us to be a withdrawn and self-doubing shadow of who
we once were. And no amount of dieting or exercise can change that. If that’s the case, a surgical
procedure may be an option. Just make sure you do your due diligence on your tummy tuck or
breast augmentation surgeon and learn all that you can about the procedure before making a
commitment to it. While it’s a decision that nobody should make lightly it’s certainly not a decision that
anyone has the right to shame you out of making.
Take more time for yourself
When we settle down, meet that special someone and start a family it presents us with wonderful
relationships. But that doesn’t mean that it should come at our relationships with ourselves. If we’re not
careful we can start to see ourselves exclusively through the prism of our relationships to other people
and lose our sense of self. And how can you love someone you don’t know? Make sure that you take
some time to spend alone. Go for a coffee in your favorite spot alone to read a book. Take a nice
leisurely walk in the park alone. Go and watch a movie by yourself. Take the time to do whatever it is
that helps you to feel like you again.
relationships. But that doesn’t mean that it should come at our relationships with ourselves. If we’re not
careful we can start to see ourselves exclusively through the prism of our relationships to other people
and lose our sense of self. And how can you love someone you don’t know? Make sure that you take
some time to spend alone. Go for a coffee in your favorite spot alone to read a book. Take a nice
leisurely walk in the park alone. Go and watch a movie by yourself. Take the time to do whatever it is
that helps you to feel like you again.
It won’t come overnight. But by taking better care of yourself and realigning your perception of
yourself you can learn to love your reflection in the mirror again!
yourself you can learn to love your reflection in the mirror again!
