Mirror, Mirror on the wall...

I wake up every morning (let's say "on time") and get dressed. I then go to the bathroom to finish getting ready. I wash my face. Then I look in the mirror and the torture begins...

My thighs are too big. My butt is too small. My teeth aren't straight. My nose is so wide. One of my eyes squinks when I smile. My boobs are all anybody notices about me. My tan lines suck. My hair never looks right. My stomach jiggles for no reason. My eyes, hair, and skin are ALL brown.

This list could go on and on......and it makes me wonder....Am I good enough?

 If I added up every single second I have spent looking in the mirror criticizing myself, it could EASILY amount to about a day or so. That's 24-48 hours. That's 1440-2880 minutes. That's 86400-172800 seconds. Those were moments of my life that I wasted focusing on the negative when I could be looking at the positive. Because I deserve it. Because I am good enough.

I am a very sweet person. I volunteer my time to help others. Many people would kill to be naturally vulumptuous. I am curvy where I should be even if I am a little chunky. I love the color of my eyes. I will never have to tan.

The mirror seems like your best friend, but like most things in life, it is only helpful when used for good. How else would we get that perfect cat-eye look if we didnt have a mirror? How could we tell that our favorite shirt had a little stain under the boob from God-knows-what? How else could we tell if that white shirt really needs a cami underneath? Mirrors can be helpful.

It is not healthy to lock yourself in the bathroom and pick yourself apart. You will ALWAYS have flaws. I can promise you that. Maybe you hate your nose now, but after you get that nose job, you will just find something else to hate. Then all of a sudden you are getting a breast augmentation, lypo, and you will be at the gym every few hours. Flaws make us human. The healthy thing to do is to embrace our flaws and do things that make us feel good about them.

 Personally? I do things like wearing things that highlight my "nice" curves and hide my chunky curves. I do my makeup to make my eye color pop that way people don't look at my nose. <----I am the only one (besides my sisters who enjoy friendly teasing) that has ever made a comment about my nose. I make jokes about never having to tan when people complain about being pale. These things make me happy about my flaws. Because honestly? I am the only one (besides my haters, which I would like to make a shout-out to and enjoy the theoretical buffet Evvan always talks about) who notices them. I am the only one who obsesses over them. I am the only one that CARES.

Watching the Kardashians, Biggest Loser, American Idol, The "Real" Housewives of __whichever city you watch__, and all of those other shows. promote changing yourself and being someone who society accepts. Why not be the you that you were born to be??? Why not show your flaws??? We all have them...so why hide them? It creates this idea in most people's head that they aren't good enough. We start doubting ourselves and then everything becomes based off of our appearance. The media type-casts. When we are rejected by our crush we automatically say its about our flaws instead of the lack of attraction that person has to you. It's stupid.

I started this new thing where I wake up every morning and say three good things about myself. And if I don't like what I see in the mirror, I will compliment my personality or style or pat myself on the back for those cute shoes I just bought. Then, I go out and compliment at least 5 other people. The cannot be empty compliments either, or I have to start all over. They are genuine, real compliments, because I find joy in spreading joy.

So I challenge you to embrace your flaws and challenge yourself to be joyful! Use my exercise. Use one you make up. Google one for all I care! Find a way to make yourself happy everyday. Because you deserve it. Because you are good enough.

Medias's Distortion of Beauty Video (:

This video does an excellent job at showing the "magic" or photoshop.