Struggles with worth, confidence, comparison, and imperfections
I don't think much has really changed from decades ago until now when it comes to the perception of beauty and worth. It's in our nature to experience insecurities and comparison, and trying to achieve our own image of perfection. We've all agreed and said it time and time again that perfection is a lie, and no person is "perfect" yet we are always working towards this unattainable standard of beauty.
Today, I'm calling it all out. We need to be the generation to change it. We need to create an atmosphere of acceptance and love and encouragement for the people we are and not the image we portray.
I'll be the first to tell you- I love makeup, I love clothes, I love my hair extensions, I love my colored hair. I love all of these things, and these things aren't inherently bad. They cannot be bad unless we give them the power to be. Once you start searching for your value in these things, that's when it goes wrong.
We’ve been comparing ourselves to each other since the very beginning. I think that’s part of our sinful nature, and there’s no eliminating it completely because this is a sinful, flawed world. BUT, you can lessen it. You can diminish a lot of it. This topic is so broad, and I could go on for pages and pages, so let’s just break it down a bit, bullet point style for the sake of fewer “sidetone rants” by me.
- We need to stop tearing ourselves down in front of others. Why does it seem like every time we spend a chunk of time together with someone or a group of people someone makes a comment about how they don’t like (insert body part or feature here) Why do we do this? We are insecure. We can’t help but point them out.
- Stop tearing yourself down in front of the mirror. I think it’s SO important to love yourself. If we can’t love our imperfect selves, how can we love other imperfect people?
- Make a list of what you like. Focus on it. this might be hard, but it will be worth it. Take a white board marker and make a list on your bathroom mirror of all the things you like about yourself. This can be outward and inward. Just make the list, and read it everyday.
- Make others feel good. Don’t compliments feel good? Make others feel good. Tell them what you appreciate about them. Encourage, and make them feel the way you would want to feel. (This is just a good general life practice anyways.)
- Find your purpose. I think this is the most important aspect of our self confidence… knowing your worth and purpose. If I can emphasize any one point, it would be this: Know, and own the fact that God created you for his purpose. For his kingdom, and you are created perfectly, wonderfully and you are so worthy. Whether you’re a believer or not, God created you. You are perfectly and wonderfully made. He chose every feature of your being. You were handcrafted and there are no mistakes made by God.