Pretty on the inside means pretty on the outside.
“Mirror, mirror on the wall …” — without realizing it, how many times do you think you ask that question, subconsciously or otherwise?
It’s all about self-image — face and body. The sad truth is that not many of us, men and women alike, are satisfied with what we see when we look in the mirror. We think we’re too fat, too thin; too buxom, too flat-chested; too curvaceous, or not curvy enough; our hair is too curly, or too flat, too thin or too thick; our noses are too pointy, or too flat; our lips too thin or too thick; we’re either too short or too tall.
But what’s our ideal? Who fits the image of the perfect person, head to toe? And how can we all have the same ideal?
Some may say internationally renowned Brazilian uber-model Giselle Bundchen is the be-all and end-all of beauty. But at 26 years old, 5-feet-10, and only 127 pounds, how can she be what the average woman aspires to? Statistics show that the average North American woman, between the ages of 25-30, stands about 5-feet-4 and weighs 135 pounds. Of course, that’s a huge across-the-board average which varies greatly depending on culture, genetic makeup, and environment.
The theory of “ideal beauty” starts, in my opinion, far too young these days. For example, a four-year old girl I recently met told me she never eats sugar because she doesn’t want to be fat like her grandmother (who isn’t, by the way), and that she wears clothes to make her look sexy.
What?!? You can imagine how shocked I was listening to that! The question is: Where did she come up with that stuff? She’s a stay-home kid, being raised by her grandparents during the day, who doesn’t watch much television.
Yes, it’s our responsibility to teach our children healthy eating habits so as to avoid obesity, a fairly prevalent problem in our society these days. But it’s also our responsibility to teach our children to love themselves for who they are, and to accept however Mother Nature created them.
Of course, for those who can afford it, there is always the option of cosmetic surgery — a little breast enhancement here, a tummy tuck there. But it’s not affordable for the everyday person, nor can you really change the fundamentals of your body. What I mean is, you can’t become taller or shorter, nor can you change the thickness of your bones.
The point is, whether you straighten your hair or perm it, wear coloured contacts, or get a nose job, you have to look in the mirror and be happy with what you see. If a little tweaking here and there makes you feel better, then great. But overall, it’s who you are on the inside that affects what other people see on the outside. Feel beautiful inside, and you will exude beauty on the outside.
