Broken Glasses

There is a comic which shows the difference between how men & women view themselves. The man, homely, bulging, balding, looks in the mirror and see Adonis. The woman, young, shapely and pretty, looks and sees a hag.

What's up with our broken glasses? More importantly, why do we keep putting them back on? Since everything we do is a choice ~ and yes, between awful and horrible is still a choice ~ what are we gaining by our misperceptions?

Surely the media's shouted view of beauty has a definite influence, but can I blame all my self-doubt on what others say? Isn't the loudest voice between my own ears? We can be so harsh on ourselves. Sometimes I literally have to say out loud, "I would never say that to another person. Stop!"

For example, you might laugh loudly and tell your friend, "That looks terrible! NO! Don't buy it!" when shopping with her. But you probably wouldn't say, in a voice loaded with disrespect, "You can't wear that, you look like a [fill in the blank]." The first is full of fun and kindness and honesty. The second is said with scorn, and seen through broken glasses.

It's time to remove the goggles. If, instead, we will see ourselves and treat ourselves in the same way we'd treat our best friend, we'll begin to smile more, and stand taller, and present nicer to the world. We'll probably find that we like ourselves better, too.