Little Miss Perfect

Greetings fellow Earth-inhabitants!




Body image is such an important issue in todays society, and yet everyone seems content to accept that, 'nobody is perfect' and 'we are our own worst critics.'

But, why can't we all be perfect? Who is the authority on perfection? Perfection leads to war and hatred, whether it was the Nazi ideal in Germany that lead to WWII or the Belgian-Dutch ideal in Rwanda that led to the Rwandan genocide or todays ideals that lead to mobbing. Ideals of perfection are old fashioned, outdated terms that need to be done away with.

Why should we be our own worst critics? The world is so quick to criticise, we need to learn how to praise instead.


What is beauty?


I firmly believe that each and every one of us, is beautiful. When I voice this opinion, people often try and contradict me. I hear arguments like: 'I'm too fat' 'I'm too short' 'I'm too tall' 'I'm too thin' 'My boobs are too small' 'I don't have a six-pack' 'My butt is too big' 'My eyes are too close together' 'I have a double chin' 'I can afford to lose a few pounds' 'I'm not muscular enough'....the list is endless.




Why is it near impossible to find someone (especially a female someone, though men are almost as bad) who loves their body? Someone who doesn't merely acknowledge and accept their own flaws but who is satisfied with the fact that their flaws are in fact, their perfection.

Think for a second, that guy you love, do you really love his six pack and perfect biceps? Or is it that one pointed tooth, the crooked nose, the hairy arms or the freckles on his chest that really drive you crazy?
That girl you're in love with, do you really love her perfect blonde hair and size zero figure? Or is it that scar on her hand, the cellulite on her thigh, the way her nostrils flare when you make her mad, the freckles on her nose or the beauty-spot on her shoulder, that make you wild?

Our so-called flaws, are what make us unique. Without them, we would all be the same. The world would be boring if we were all the same. 'Flaw' should be a synonym for 'perfect'.

Plastic Surgery, is one of medicines necessary evils. I'm glad it exists, it has saved countless lives. However, it's being misused left, right and centre. It is being used to determine beauty....but is it really that beautiful? I don't think so. I can't think of a single person who has had some form of plastic surgery, where I think, "Wow! What an improvement."

When asked to list three things you dislike about yourself or that you would like to change, most people are quick to think of them, almost everyone has an answer ready within a minute. However, when asked to think of three things that you love about yourself, people frequently ask for more time to think.

I want you to pause here, just for a moment, and think of the three things you like best about yourself and the three things you like least. Now embrace the latter three, ask yourself WHY you dislike that about yourself. Is it because you are expected to? Does society demand that you expect yourself to be thinner or taller or shorter or broader or stronger?
Now try and turn each of those three things into something positive. Forget everything negative you have heard about that feature, and think of how without it, you wouldn't be you. Learn to love yourself. It takes time and practice, but it is possible.

If we don't love ourselves, no one else can. And we can't love another, while hating ourselves.

And don't be selfish, there is enough love to share. Love multiplies when shared, so, tell your friends that they are beautiful, tell a random stranger that they are beautiful, tell your family that they are beautiful. Tell that funny old lady across the street that she is beautiful.

And this isn't restricted to one gender. Girls, don't wait expectantly for guys to call you beautiful. Boys are as insecure as we are. Tell your male friends that they are handsome.

Instead of smearing the bathroom walls with insulting slurs, stick a post-it on the mirror with a kind word.




Maybe, I can't change the world, but we can make a difference.

Love,

Amber