Have you ever watched a baby play in front of a mirror? If so, you know they are fascinated with the face looking back at them. The mirror helps them learn among other things, how to explore the wonderful things a face can do. More importantly what their face can do. Then eventually, they learn that the drooly face looking back at them is their own. Fast forward a few years and we watch kids with the same kind of amusement. They dance around and make silly faces giggling at their reflection till they can’t breath.
And then the strangest thing happened... Grab a mirror, right now. What do you notice about your reflection? I guarantee, like most people, your inner critic just hopped into the driver’s seat. Somewhere after the age of five, we let in a voice that wasn’t around when we were busy dancing in the mirror. Maybe it was high school or even college, but at some point this new guy found an open door and took a seat, waiting for his turn at the wheel.
But what has changed? When did we start shaming instead of celebrating?
Whatever it was caused us to point out every flaw, no matter how tiny, when we look in the mirror. My hairline is so weird. My pores are huge. My nail beds suck. I have really bad breath in the morning (yes, Mean Girls reference). And we could blame culture, or media, or our peers for opening this door in our head, but those things aren’t going to change. Media will bank off of their flawless photoshopping tomorrow and there’s nothing we can do about it. But what we can do is remember what we saw when we were five. A person; a real, strong, healthy, spirited person--not just someone with features.
When we were young, we saw personality and charisma in our reflection because we looked at ourselves as a person. And we didn’t see just any person, but a person we liked. Actually, a person we loved! So look again, what do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you recognize the person across from you? What do they want, what do they like? In an article posted on Bustle, they asked young, female success-superstars what the "essentials of their morning routine were and what inspires them when they look in the mirror." Check it out. What's my essentials in the morning? I get up to be fabulous -- also to get a Starbucks, of course!
Even though we may not be to their superstar status yet, there's no better time than now to start looking at yourself in a brighter light. We have so much to be inspired by from the face looking back at us. From now on when you look in the mirror each morning, choose to see a person who is growing, changing and determined to make each day better than the last. And when you do, you will see the reflection of someone so wonderful it shines in their eyes.
Peace, love and let's get back to dancing in the mirror.
xoxo
Andrea
