*disclaimer: this photo is not mine! all credits go to its original owner @shopsundae
Let's face it, unfortunately with the rise of social media, physical appearances have become an increasingly popular topic over the past couple of years. Whether it's keeping up on the newest fashion trends or getting plastic surgery, it seems as if the whole world is constantly searching for ways to "improve" the way they look.
And while appearances can be empowering, I certainly have found myself caught in the trap of not feeling pretty enough. Whether it was my height, my weight, or my Asian "non-white" features, for a good period of time, I hated everything about the way I looked.
Yet, in the past couple months, as I've spent more time alone and away from others' gazes, I feel like I've embarked on a greater journey of self-love and confidence.
I know beauty is incredibly subjective and the quest for it is certainly not a straightforward path, but I wanted to share some things that helped me recognize internal beauty:
Surround yourself with positive people.
Focus on the good. Your personal thoughts can absolutely be affected by external forces, such as the people you surround yourself with. Constantly talking to toxic people can change your outlook to be more toxic as well. On the other hand, when you communicate with more enthusiastic, positive people, you'll find your mood typically lifts as well! If someone makes you feel bad about yourself, do you shouldn't feel like it's necessary to keep talking to them.
Step away from the mirrors.
The more mirrors you have hanging around, the greater the chance you'll find yourself noticing and critiquing your physical appearance. And while there's nothing wrong with quickly fixing yourself up, I've noticed that checking a mirror can often become involuntarily obsessive. Try taking down some of your mirrors around the house to avoid this habit!
Try dressing comfortably.
This idea initially stood out to me as counterintuitive: wouldn't dressing up make you feel fancier and better about how you look? Surprisingly, it actually sometimes does the opposite. When you dress up, you tend to be more aware and conscious about your appearance, which can lead to greater feelings of discomfort. If you let yourself dress in clothing that you feel comfortable and safe in, chances are you'll feel less self-conscious!
Practice self-love.
Mental health can absolutely affect your physical health. Taking tiny steps to exercise self-care will help you not only feel more healthy, but also can ease your body and mind. For 30 ways you can practice self-love, you can check out one of my previous blog posts :)
Focus internally.
Repeat after me: your physical appearance is NOT indicative of your character. Although this seems initially obvious --- duh, you can't figure out how great of a person someone is based solely off their looks --- I feel like this idea has become muddled recently. The less physically attractive you feel, the lower your confidence usually gets, which can lead to doubts about yourself as a whole. Recognizing that your internal beauty is always evident can help you find peace within yourself.
I hope these tips were helpful as I know the struggle with your appearance can be a difficult one. Also I wanted to apologize for not posting for a while, if I'm being honest, the past couple months have been some weird ones for me as we've reached the mark for one whole year spent in quarantine. But I'm back and hopefully will be posting more often :)
Essentially,
Olivia.
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