Ah, today I'd like to blab about one of the many issues we all deal with in life. This for me is a slightly sensitive matter. Yes, looks. I think this affects girls a little more than it does guys. We are pressured to look a certain way, mainly by society. If you don't fit the the "cookie cutter" definition of what the media has idealized beauty to be, then your not considered beautiful or you feel "ugly". Now, for me personally, I only really began being aware of my appearance in about 7th or 8th grade. I would receive one or two comments on my ridiculously dark skin, but it never really got to me. Once I reached high school it got so much worse. That is what diminished whatever sliver of self-confidence I might have had. This being the reason I went through basically the whole of high school feeling really unattractive. I went through this stage where I tried skin lightning creams and foundations which were two shades lighter than my actual skin tone. Looking back on it now, I can laugh about it. I will admit that I do feel self conscience from time to time and that unattractive feeling rears its ugly head occasionally, but I can proudly say I've come a long way since my high school days.
It took me a while but I have learned that there is no one definition of beauty. It exists in so many forms. They always say that you should learn to love yourself, learn to appreciate yourself for who you are. No one told me that that is much easier said than done. That it's a process which takes time. Its takes even longer if you have other individuals placing seeds of doubt in your mind. It took me so long to feel comfortable in my own skin, to feel comfortable being me, and appreciating who I am. I learned to love what I can not change, and its not that I love it because I can not change it, I love it because its what God intended. I'm not too sure if that makes sense. One of the most important lessons learnt is that not everything is about appearance. I really do find it frustrating how the media stereotype beauty though. When it comes to this topic one needs to think out of the box and explore all possible avenues. The black girl with an Afro should be just as beautiful as the white girl with long blond hair. I think no matter how much we voice our opinions, its is hard to break the mold in which our media portrays beauty. This is one of the reasons why I really appreciate what Tyra Banks is trying to convey. She wants the media to understand that beauty has so many facets and is not just one dimensional. At the end of the day, we all have our own idea of what beauty is. This is fine, but one should not have the right to treat others with condescension because that individual does not fit their ideal of what beauty is. As for me, I'm some what happier now than I was in high school. I feel I'm much wiser and refuse to allow anyone to put me in the position I was then. There is simply no way I can go back to that. I am so much wiser. Learn to love and appreciate yourself. It may take time, but its definitely worth it.
It took me a while but I have learned that there is no one definition of beauty. It exists in so many forms. They always say that you should learn to love yourself, learn to appreciate yourself for who you are. No one told me that that is much easier said than done. That it's a process which takes time. Its takes even longer if you have other individuals placing seeds of doubt in your mind. It took me so long to feel comfortable in my own skin, to feel comfortable being me, and appreciating who I am. I learned to love what I can not change, and its not that I love it because I can not change it, I love it because its what God intended. I'm not too sure if that makes sense. One of the most important lessons learnt is that not everything is about appearance. I really do find it frustrating how the media stereotype beauty though. When it comes to this topic one needs to think out of the box and explore all possible avenues. The black girl with an Afro should be just as beautiful as the white girl with long blond hair. I think no matter how much we voice our opinions, its is hard to break the mold in which our media portrays beauty. This is one of the reasons why I really appreciate what Tyra Banks is trying to convey. She wants the media to understand that beauty has so many facets and is not just one dimensional. At the end of the day, we all have our own idea of what beauty is. This is fine, but one should not have the right to treat others with condescension because that individual does not fit their ideal of what beauty is. As for me, I'm some what happier now than I was in high school. I feel I'm much wiser and refuse to allow anyone to put me in the position I was then. There is simply no way I can go back to that. I am so much wiser. Learn to love and appreciate yourself. It may take time, but its definitely worth it.
