Your imperfections don’t make you ugly; they make you beautiful.
I found myself watching an episode of the series “Dare Me“. In the opening scene, the narrator repeats these words…
“Every woman wears masks. It is how we face the world. It’s how we face each other. Masks promise perfection and conceal all our flaws. Never let your masks fall unless you have another one in place.”
The above statement made me think about my own masks, beauty, and body confidence journey. As I write these, under all my makeup are acne scars. Acne has always been a part of my life. I’ve had acne as far back as I can remember — even now, I’m still dealing with hormonal acne. I’ve also seen my body go through many changes, including birthing two children, among other things. However, I’m confident not because I have it all together but because I choose to love and accept myself radically.
I know all too well how narrow beauty standards can make it difficult for you to freely celebrate your own beauty. At the same time, you may feel pressured to conform to these unrealistic appearance standards. Remember, the picture-perfect beauty and flawless bodies you see all over social media and magazines are just masks. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else’s highlight reel. Go ahead and admire someone else’s beauty, but learn to do so without questioning your own. The reality is that comparison won’t make you feel more confident — so own your imperfections and love them.
Beauty and body confidence is a journey. The more you show your imperfections, the more others will accept you. No one is perfect, so go ahead and rock your scars. In the process, you may find vulnerability to be liberating for you and inspiring to others. Learn to accept yourself and accept your scars as a part of you. Learning to love yourself is the best thing you can ever do.
Personally, I believe real beauty is found in imperfections. To me, the true essence of beauty is being apologetic and confident in yourself and how you treat others.
