Every day many people will walk into a bookstore, grocery store, or even a library and find themselves in an aisle filled with magazines. Magazines have a different kinds of interests for people such as the latest on pop culture, sports, fitness, nutrition, etc. But what may catch people's eye is who is on the cover of that magazine. In our modern day society, we are given a certain degree of standards and pressure to have our bodies look a certain way so we can feel confident about ourselves. However, is society really trying to make us feel more confident or rather more insecure about what we look? Insecurities are what make us human, what defines our true character. Somewhere along the lines, we want to change something about ourselves, but what we don't know how to change it.
According to Mark Tyrrell from the Uncommon Knowledge Ltd, in the United Kingdom, "Anything which increases the focus on the self (poor self-help books for example), makes it less likely that we will be successful in developing self confidence or a good self image. In a social situation, for example, self consciousness is the opposite of what we need." (Tyrrell 2014) The fact is every human being is perfectly fine the way that they are! So why should people try to bring us down because were not a "certain size" or how we look? As long as we're happy, who's got the right to tell you otherwise? If you are truly happy about who and what you are, embrace it! If not, do something about it! Life is too short to be worrying about what society wants us to feel/look like. Odds are, if people have a problem with any of your characteristics, they are often jealous of what you have! Whenever other people are unable to have certain things that they couldn't have, they want to tell you that you can't have anything you truly desire for. In the end, YOU have the power to determine how you want your life to be! So, go make it worthwhile!
References Used: Uncommon Knowledge Ltd.; Scotland, UK; Mark Tyrrell; found on
http://www.self-confidence.co.uk/articles/insecurity/
Images found on:
http://kickofjoy.com/insecurity-step-self-destruction/
http://theresa-foreverours.blogspot.com/2013/09/insecurities.html
I feel you Rob. I especially like the pic you have posted and in the small print it says, "If you're not taking a chance, then what the hell are you doing?". This is crucial in life. I believe there comes a time in life when you have to realize that conforming is not always the right thing to do. It may come with some consequences, but in return you will be proud of yourself! And what you said is also true, if you truly are happy with yourself, embrace it!
ReplyDeleteI loved what you said about how even though magazines claim to give us ways to be better, boost our confidence, etc, they are really playing on and reinforcing our insecurities. The more insecure they can make people feel, the more they will sell. It is a sad and vicious cycle! Self-esteem and self-worth come from within, not from any article or diet plan or fad. You hit the nail on the head!
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