With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, and mental-health issues at an all-time high in our culture, we thought this was the right time to talk about embracing yourself and all your flaws, and loving yourself – as you are.
We’ve talked on our site a lot about the current trends in skincare, including the less than forgiving concept of anti-aging, particularly when it involves botox and younger women. We think these ideals are tough to live with and keep up with, but it’s understandable why people get caught up in chasing unattainable standards whether in beauty or in life goals.
As children, we’re brought up to want to be perfect in everything we do. You’re winning when you get perfect A’s, win that game, have all the friends. Praise as a child becomes addictive because you are constantly rewarded when you achieve. Being told you need to do better or scolded when you are less than perfect hurts every kid hard. It’s no wonder as adults, we constantly chase the high standards –and then talk ourselves into believing we’re the only ones who can’t measure up to them.
As adults, social media and constant media loops that show you just how great others have it share the blame. You’re supposed to be self-assured and confident as an adult, right? It’s hard to feel even adequate when you see bright flashy white teeth, perfect skin, designer clothes, and beyond stunning homes with perfect interiors everywhere you look. Influencers and actors are paid to look this way, live this way and torture you with their perfection. Please don’t fall for it and fall into feeling inadequate.
The damage we do to ourselves when constantly assuming others are reaching perfection when we are not – is detrimental to our mental health. Self-doubt and self-judgement have long-term negative effects including – low self-esteem and depression.
Completely normal, well-functioning adults struggle and make mistakes or fail because that is NORMAL. What is real is a messy kitchen, kids tugging on you in every direction, wrinkles, cellulite, being late for your appointment and stacks of laundry in every room. What is real is loving that scar on your cheek or your uneven skin tone. What is real is being able to laugh at your mistakes and learn from them.
Choose to not compare yourself to the social media gurus or your neighbors or someone on TV. Accept yourself for who you are and everything you are. Realize you are much better than you think – more deserving of your approval.
Imperfections are the real thing that give definition and dimension to you. Accepting these imperfections, and realizing you don’t have to constantly measure up can be liberating. You can finally allow yourself to be human.