“To me, beauty is
about being comfortable in your own skin. It’s about knowing and accepting who
you are.”
- Ellen DeGeneres
I find that self-esteem issues and lack of confidence are
two things that men and women alike are ashamed to admit they struggle with.
Just think about it – whenever you compare yourself to another out loud, the
first thing the person next to you says is a criticism. “Stop it, you’re
beautiful,” “Shut up!” or the ever-popular “At least you don’t look like that.” (As if the latter is some sort of
compliment and not just another attack.)
Both men and women struggle with self-worth and confidence
every day. I am a 33-year old mother of two living in suburbia, and I find
myself nitpicking on every visual flaw of not only myself, but others
(strangers, people I know) and everything “wrong” with the world. I look in the
mirror and focus on every little thing that needs to be changed, from my looks
to my personality. I even look at my house and nitpick every little thing that
I’d like to change, from wall colour to backsplash.
And why is that? Why do I compare myself to everyone else?
Why do I care if I’m not as thin as another mom in my daughter’s preschool
class? Why do I care if someone’s home décor is so much nicer than mine?
So here is my mission: to change. I’ve created and birthed
two children – I should wear those battle wounds proudly. Those battle wounds
are extra girth, stretch marks, exhausted arms, a messy kitchen, and a
toy-filled living room. To me, these “faults” are better than the alternative:
a clean, one-bedroom apartment, which would be my life if I hadn’t met my
husband and had children with him!
I want to focus on the positives of life, on beauty of not
only myself but everyone around me; on the beauty of the world – because,
despite what you hear on the news, there is a lot of beauty, kindness and true
humanity out there. Unfortunately, many years of focussing on the negatives has
made seeing the good daunting.
So I need your help – the readers. Email me
(denise@thenewsyneighbour.com), Facebook me (Denise AtThe Newsy Neighbour) and
text me with something positive. Compliment yourself.
Focus on what makes YOU beautiful will shine a light on what makes everyone
beautiful. Do you have a small house? Tell me how cosy and close it makes your
family. Do you hate your stretch marks? Tell me how they are battle wounds for
the little loves of your life.
This is my 2015 Resolution – to be happy and grateful for
where I am at presently, rather than hate or think negatively. We get one
chance at life, and I know I’m wasting so much and missing out on a lot of good
by focusing on the opposite of what I should be focussing on.
“Beauty begins the
moment you decide to be yourself.”
- Coco Chanel
“You are beautiful.
It’s society that’s ugly.”
- Marilyn Monroe
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