The Body Image Issue

One of the things I've become accustomed to doing is looking at myself in the mirror. It happens when I least think it would, I may be doing something very serious and all of a sudden, I am there looking in the mirror and staring at the image of me. I often gaze down at myself with one question in mind: "what did they say is wrong with me again?" That question plays in my head because prior to certain encounters I had in the past, the thought that there was something physically wrong with me had never occured to me. In my head I was perfect, and after my seemingly routine mirror encounters, that is the conclusion I always come to.

This post is tackling the issue of body image. The complexity of this topic, my personal struggles with it, and people's insensitivity are a few reasons why this is a difficult issue to tackle but someone has to do it because in the end, the greater the number of people with positive body image, the better (dare I say happier) the world will be.

To use the definition Google offers, body image is a term which may refer to a person's perception of his or her own physical appearance. Take note of the bolded and italicized words. Based on this definition you are responsible for your body image. It didn't say MTV was responsible or E or any of those visual media outlets that bombard us with images of people we often describe as perfect, who may or may not be perfect. After all that term, when used to describe how a person looks like, can be relative. We blindly lust after the images we are exposed to and very often subject our bodies to awful conditions in order to achieve a certain look we've seen, as if our bodies, as they are, are not enough. In doing this we - unknowingly - relinquish control over our bodies to these media outlets and the various corporations that stand to make profits, and believe me, there are a ton of corporations that benefit from that!

With relinquishing control over who decides what you look like comes depression which mostly arises from the realization that you will never be good enough. And you really can't, as long as you are judging yourself based on someone else's standards, chances are that you will fail, and if I may add, miserably so! A lot of us are walking around with low self-esteem, some of us know it and some of us don't. Some of us who know it have taken matters into our own hands and are slowly taking control of our bodies and how we perceive them but for those of us who don't know, it's sad but we can't do anything about it, clearly since we are clueless.

How do you know whether you are in control of your body image? I think that's something that will vary with each individual. However you can weigh your answers to the following questions and decide for yourself.

• Are you satisfied with the way look? 
• What is your attitude towards yourself? (Do you find that you love yourself most days or that you hate or maybe dislike yourself most days?)
• Do you feel confident about your looks?
• Are you shy? Could your shyness be a result of your dissatisfaction with your body?
• What causes your dissatisfaction with your body? 
• Do you find yourself always trying to look like someone else? A celebrity maybe?

(I take credit for coming up with these questions.)

I am all for positive self image and having struggled with self esteem issues, I know it is not a good situation to be in but I also confess that having overcome all that, I've become a more confident, self assured woman. I want the same for all people, especially young people who seem to be lost in the craziness that is our media. I strongly suggest taking time and thinking through what constitutes your body image and where those perceptions come from.

I'll be happy to read from you all! Leave me comments, share your struggles and how you overcame them (to encourage others), ask me questions (@ mimi2308@gmail.com if you want). I want feedback!

L.S