Measuring Beauty

There's this thing... and most women are guilty of it-- it's called body bashing. Maybe this is familiar? Starting with one judging look in the mirror, the cycle of hating our reflection becomes a daily occurrence. I mean, we live in a society where being fat is basically a crime. Actually, being average size is looked down upon. And with media's unforgiving scrutiny of the seemingly perfect celebs, there's an indirect message being sent. Self-worth is measured by appearance. 

Well, this is bull hockey! We are more than the size of our pants. We are more than the color of our hair. These superficial factors will not define us.

Self-acceptance is a struggle I'm very familiar with. I never felt good enough. However, I did feel a certain pressure-- to be perfect...to be thin. The simple fact--all I needed to do was LOVE MYSELF. I have cellulite....so what! Half the population has it. My stomach isn't perfectly flat...who cares?! My plump belly doesn't mean I should be insecure. 

I deserve to live life free of fear. Free of self-hatred. Free of self-judgement. There's something in my head... it's like a detector of imperfection and every time I look in the mirror it goes off.

 *Looks in mirror* Beep, beep, beep... fix hair, make sure nothing is in teeth, eye liner smeared-wipe off, are those wrinkles? geesh, my cheeks are red. I seriously wore this outfit? 

The judgement never ends. The fixing never stops. Why? Because being imperfect is inevitable. And what I've finally realized after years of self-hatred... being imperfect is beautiful. It's what makes us human. It's what makes us special. 

I realized that I'm missing out on this great life. I'm missing out because I'm, what?!, worried about the way others will perceive me? How about how I perceive myself? Doesn't that matter?

We are women. We are human beings, flawed and all. And that's okay. We are beautiful. We are smart. We are determined. We CAN end this treacherous cycle. Don't waste another minute feeling insignificant. Stop hating. Stop judging. In my eyes, you are a miracle. In my eyes, you are absolutely amazing. In this great life, you make a difference.