In the West we live in a consumer driven capitalist society. To sell more goods we are constantly presented with idealistic images. Have you ever seen a Big Mac in real life that looks like the Big Mac being eaten in a commercial? At the very least we are shown things/people at their best and often view an altered image that makes the things/people attain an unrealistic perfection.
This world of unrealistic perfection leaves us all wanting more and better. When it comes to the body we accept surgery to make us look just right or go to a tanning booth. When did teeth whitening become the norm? This is not making a moral judgment but simply an observation. We do see that this makes life difficult to be contented with as you see the perfect people.
A person completely out of shape can view the attempt to get in shape as a lost cause when looking at the cover of Oxygen. Women are especially at risk. Yep, this brings me back to the premise that you must love/like yourself as you are to progress in personal change. It is not bad to want to look like the model on the cover of Oxygen, but you need to know that what you see on that cover is not reality. You might call the way the model looks on a magazine cover as super-reality or augmented-reality.
Looking at my own body I find that I am blessed with many gifts and cursed by a few. In some cases a blessing may be a curse when viewed in the right way. For instance, I am tall. Trust me, this is a gift. It allows me to hide my fat a little better than the short and allows me to store my beer on top of the refrigerator. Being tall has its drawbacks too. Have you ever seen a 6′4" guy squeezed into the backseat of an economy car? It isn’t pretty.
People are built differently. You may long for the long thin legs of a 6′ model but have a typical 5′4" body. Learn to maximize your strengths and be content. We are meant to be different. This is what makes the world worth living in today.
Always remember, you are great the way you are! Wait…I am not saying that you shouldn’t worry about getting in shape or building your biceps. No, what I am saying is that you will drive yourself to depression if you only realize where you are not and never realize happiness where you are.
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It’s a Grand Illusion
Thursday, May 1st, 2008In the West we live in a consumer driven capitalist society. To sell more goods we are constantly presented with idealistic images. Have you ever seen a Big Mac in real life that looks like the Big Mac being eaten in a commercial? At the very least we are shown things/people at their best and often view an altered image that makes the things/people attain an unrealistic perfection.
This world of unrealistic perfection leaves us all wanting more and better. When it comes to the body we accept surgery to make us look just right or go to a tanning booth. When did teeth whitening become the norm? This is not making a moral judgment but simply an observation. We do see that this makes life difficult to be contented with as you see the perfect people.
A person completely out of shape can view the attempt to get in shape as a lost cause when looking at the cover of Oxygen. Women are especially at risk. Yep, this brings me back to the premise that you must love/like yourself as you are to progress in personal change. It is not bad to want to look like the model on the cover of Oxygen, but you need to know that what you see on that cover is not reality. You might call the way the model looks on a magazine cover as super-reality or augmented-reality.
Looking at my own body I find that I am blessed with many gifts and cursed by a few. In some cases a blessing may be a curse when viewed in the right way. For instance, I am tall. Trust me, this is a gift. It allows me to hide my fat a little better than the short and allows me to store my beer on top of the refrigerator. Being tall has its drawbacks too. Have you ever seen a 6′4" guy squeezed into the backseat of an economy car? It isn’t pretty.
People are built differently. You may long for the long thin legs of a 6′ model but have a typical 5′4" body. Learn to maximize your strengths and be content. We are meant to be different. This is what makes the world worth living in today.
Always remember, you are great the way you are! Wait…I am not saying that you shouldn’t worry about getting in shape or building your biceps. No, what I am saying is that you will drive yourself to depression if you only realize where you are not and never realize happiness where you are.
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