Change Everything By Changing Nothing

One of life’s biggest mysteries is wondering where the socks you put in the washing machine end up. I mean, you know you put two in there, so why did only one come out? My thinking is that either the machine is alive and actually eats clothes to aid its survival. Or – and more rationally speaking – what you lose in the wash somehow rocks up in a parallel universe and gets worn by people in another dimension who then wonder where the rest of their clothes are…

Okay, so, maybe that’s not so rational either. But you know what else is irrational? The negative thoughts that run through your head when you look in the mirror. And that’s not just because of the fact you’re now wearing a pair of odd socks. To be fair, your odd socks shouldn’t get in the way of how you feel about yourself. But I bet they do.

More often than not, I’ll stare judgingly at my reflection when I’m having a bad hair day or when my clothes don’t sit right on my hips. Then I’ll see a teeny-tiny spot on my cheek trying to rub in the fact that no matter what I do, I’ll never be a beauty queen.

Thanks, Universe! As if I wasn’t feeling crap enough already!

For years I’ve treated myself this way. And although I’d love to say that I’ve stopped honing in on my imperfections to the point of it completely skewing my judgment, I have to be honest with you and say that’s just not true.

However…

After watching the film, I Feel Pretty on my plane journey back to the UK, my eyes were opened irrevocably.

Don’t let the average rating put you off watching this chick-flick because the message it conveys is 10/10. Amy Schumer plays a single woman battling with insecurity and low self-esteem. She believes that her negative feelings towards her appearance define her as an individual and that no guy would ever be interested in her unless she was a size 6 supermodel. Thus, she keeps herself to herself and puts up a guard so high no one can ever see over. But, everything changes when she bumps her head and later comes around believing that she’s the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet!

Now, I don’t want to be a buzzkill and release a #spoileralert! But what I will say is that her newfound belief aids her to live more fearlessly. All the things she’d ever dreamed of making a reality she now fought for because of what she “saw” in the mirror. Her view of herself changed the way she looked at life and what she could achieve, and ultimately, people received her confidence with open arms. But yet, nothing had actually changed.

Watching the story play out definitely got me thinking, “What would happen if we all just decided to wake up one day and stop hating ourselves for not being perfect?” After all, life is tiring enough without us being our own worst enemy. So, why not try self-confidence on for size and see how it fits?

Because being beautiful is more than skin-deep. Winning hearts comes from more than looking good in a selfie. And how you see yourself affects how others see you back. Most people are too focused on themselves to notice that tiny pimple on your chin or the fact that your hair isn’t looking its best, anyway. And as for the odd sock, well, I’m sure you can embrace that one with humor. After all, everyone likes someone who can make them laugh! What I’m trying to say is that whatever appearance you’ve been given, whatever story belongs to your past, don’t let it define how you look at yourself as a whole. Of course, it is a part of you, that much can’t be denied. But what makes a person special goes way beyond the surface. It’s what’s inside that counts.

So be more than the reflection in the mirror. Crack a smile, aim high and dazzle the world! It might surprise you how much things can change when you change nothing at all.