My Beauty Battle

Awhile ago I wrote a blog post about my obsession with being pretty. All my life I've struggled with self-image issues and never feeling good enough in those areas, as many have.

Until now.

Now, I don't think my struggles have gone away for good, but they have diminished, almost to the point of forgetting them all together.

I remember a comment a friend made on that particular post that made me think. My insecurities and desire to be perfectly beautiful will always be something I will have to battle, yet I must keep fighting everyday. And though it may never go away, it can be so small I don't even notice it anymore.

That's how I feel currently. Here's what helped me:

1. I stopped obsessing. The less time I spend in front of the mirror, the less time I have to make false assumptions about my looks. The more time I have to give to my family and others, which makes me truly beautiful. True beauty means forgetting about beauty.

2. I eliminated media that makes me feel inferior.  This is probably different for anyone, but any time I see a skimpily dressed woman on TV, in magazines, on the internet, I immediately begin thinking about my body and how I'll never measure up. As we have gotten rid of any type of media that would cause that feeling in me, I feel SO much better. I feel the temptation to compare, because I am not seeing anything to compare to.

3. I try to fill my life with good.  Good movies, songs, books, people, activities. As I fill my life with good and wholesome things, there is no room for anything else.

Now my goal is to fight. Fight for others, especially for young girls today who are facing an onslaught of photoshopped media and things like "thinsporations". I want them to feel like I do.

At peace.