Just A Small Town Girl…

Last weekend we were all crammed around the bathroom mirror engaging in our unique beauty regimes before a night out. Gluing on eyelashes to accentuate our eyes, dabbing on foundation to even-out our complexions and spraying our hair with various products to make it appear thicker and fuller.

And it got me thinking.

In effect, the process of getting ready largely consists of trying to convincingly cover up our not-so-good-bits. Once the rigorous process is complete, approximately 30 minutes later, something magical happens: our self-esteem skyrockets and we feel much more confident and assured.

It’s human nature to pick ourselves apart, compare ourselves to others and maintain the mind-set that we could always look slightly, if not ten times, better than we usually do.

Love handles, cellulite, stretch marks, wrinkles, scars/blemishes, flat bums and chests, bingo wings, thin eyebrows, dark circles, wide noses, big ears, wonky teeth, chubby cheeks and unsymmetrical features are just a few of the things that we all try to conceal by mimicking YouTube makeup tutorials, choosing clever camera angles and opting for outfit choices designed to flatter our specific body shapes.

But the truth is that no one is 100% happy with their appearance. Even that person who you consider to be the epitome of beauty will have their secret body hang-ups, trust me they really do, they just have a knack for masking their insecurities with a false air of confidence. For example, Beyoncé Knowles has admitted to being insecure about her big ears, Rihanna has an issue with her large forehead, Taylor Swift with her small eyes, Katy Perry with her skin, Kate Beckinsale with her teeth, Daniel Radcliffe with his height and Zac Efron with the size of his head. I guess they are  human after all, thank God for that!

So, now that we’re all feeling slightly more reassured, I propose that we adopt a new mind-set and break away from the self-destructive manner in which we usually perceive ourselves.

Right now I want you to forget your flaws. Put them in a figurative box in the corner of your mind if you must, just lock them away and bury them. Done it? Good. Now I want you to focus on three things that you LOVE or at least LIKE about your appearance. It may feel easier to come up with three negatives but you can do it, I believe in you. Just three things that you’ve been naturally blessed with and that over time you’ve come to be grateful for, because they set you aside from everyone else and make you feel uniquely beautiful. Don’t feel embarrassed, own your beauty! It can be anything: your height, your smile, your hair, your feet!

Brushing aside my many insecurities, I’m grateful for:

1. My eyes
2. My cheekbones
3. My waistline

Now it’s your turn. Pretend that you’re looking at yourself through a fresh pair of eyes for the first time and list the first three attractive things that you see. You can scribble them on a piece of paper or below in the comment box. Write it on your forehead with a permanent marker if you must (backwards, of course, so that you can read it in the mirror) and memorise each point. And so when you next have one of those ‘off days’ where you feel like you have an indestructible mountain of flaws, you’ll know that there are at least three reasons why you should be smiling. Just take a much needed break from fixating on your problem areas, start appreciating what you have and believe me when I tell you that you are absolutely, undeniably gorgeous 🙂