| Hey Friend, how are you?
I spent the last 4 days held up in my home enjoying the Robbins UPW (Unlimited Power Weekend) virtual event, having all kinds of breakthroughs and aha moments (more about that another time).
At one point, they show this video created by Dove, demonstrating the reality of how women REALLY see themselves.
One at a time, 3 women go into a room where a sketch artist (who's behind a curtain so he can't see her) draws her based on the description she gives him. Then, he draws another version of her based on the description given by another person that knew (or saw her); the results were mind-blowing.
I immediately start to cry "OMG! this is me in this video"; and so I'm wondering if you can relate.
I have NEVER felt 'pretty enough' in this world of so much emphasis on the physical, and that feeling of 'not enough' has stopped me from doing many things in my life; it has cost me dearly 😥.
As I'm watching I'm witnessing the reality of how harshly we as women judge ourselves. According to a Dove study, only 4% of women around the world see themselves as beautiful 😯.
We don't see ourselves as we truly are but rather some distorted perception based on deeper feelings or comparison to ideals.
I'm reminded of all the times I brushed off a compliment as just someones attempt to make me feet better. Of the times I looked in a mirror and thought "I'm not that bad" only to lose that very quickly when I see my competition in print media, television or social media. And yes, I know that much of that is NOT real but tell that to my heart.
But now, after seeing that video... something has changed. I recognize that while we look at ourselves and see lips that are too thin, skin that's starting to sag, a nose that's too wide (or too thin), eyes that aren't bright enough, too much weight on certain body parts or whatever silly physical inadequacies our mind would have us focus on, that is NOT what others see.
Yes they may see some imperfections, however, when they look at us they see ALL of us. Our smiles, our hearts, our personality, our perfect parts (yes, we have some of those too) and that TOTAL picture is always a thousands times more beautiful than the one constructed in our own minds.
So, how about we start to appreciate ourselves a little more? Give thanks for all that we are, a little more? If we can trust that what others see is so much more than what we see in ourselves, maybe in time we will begin to see it too.
Here's the video if you want to check it out | 
