Familiar things are attractive. Moreover it takes years and years of conditioning for the mind to immediately identify what appeals to the eye and what does not. The human mind is unusually complicated as it is but our preferences, choices and judgments are highly coded into our systems.
It could start with how your parents viewed others, how they often defined you in conversation with others, whether you were compared to others – siblings, friends or peers, and so on. In this whole process, you made definite choices of what you yourself should look and behave like and what you liked and disliked in your observation of others. Some of us were taught to be more open and flexible and less judgmental, whereas some were coded to discriminate.
In this issue we have explored what it means to be different; the fears and the insecurities, the need for acceptance and finally what it took to understand and accept yourself as you are. With social dictates so strong, we also explore the idea of what it means to accept yourself even when you’d rather not.
There is no right and wrong answer to what beautiful is. What it certainly is NOT is basing your self-worth on the opinion and standards of others.
You are the only YOU that you have. And in this beautiful, magical and sometimes complicated and tragic life, you must understand that you do not have to change a thing about yourself unless you yourself want to.
Take an honest and courageous look in the mirror every now and then, and know that to embrace yourself as you are at every stage of your life is what will help you emerge as a beautiful person inside out; no comparisons, no conformity to societal pressures… just you and who you really are.
Some people spend a lifetime trying to fix themselves to become the image of perfection that appeals to others, often fighting a war within that none but themselves can see. In fact many of us are more accepting and compassionate about others than ourselves.
Accepting yourself as you are does not mean giving up on the process of transformation and self growth; it means to be whole, untroubled and free as you make these choices for yourself. It also empowers you with clarity and self love.
Understanding and dismantling beliefs is not easy but it will result in an open heart, a clear mind and knowing that you as you are have been, are and will be always beautiful enough.
