Switched-On Magazine

Could you imagine a life without mirrors? A life where you could not sit in front of the mirror complaining, ?I'm too fat, I'm to thin, I'm too ugly? How could you compare yourself to the latest skinny celebrity, if
you didn't know how you looked. Would you have to just appreciate yourself for who you are and be happy?

Unless you are planning to move to a remote island, the likeliness of avoiding mirrors for the rest of your life is slim. What we are faced with are hundreds of mirrors, reminding us everyday of what we look like. For some this daily reminder can be very painful. People who experience self-image, or body image disorders have a hard time walking past a mirror, or really taking a close look at themselves. The way you perceive yourself, your appearance, how you think others see you, how you feel about your body, all relates to your self image of yourself. When someone has a poor self-image of themselves it can have very negative results.

Depression, eating disorders, low self esteem, and avoidance can all result from a poor self-image of oneself. There are many things that can cause negative feeling about ones own body or what they think about themselves. If you were growing up and one of your parents always told you that you were ?fat? or 'stupid?, even though you look in a mirror and see a normal smart person, the more you hear these negative comments the more your brain starts to
believe it. Other factors may include what you see in society. Plastered all over magazines, on TV and billboards Americans are forced everyday to witness overly thin, perfect people in ads and on shows. Comparing oneself to these people is not healthy, because most of the ads are manipulated to make the person appear flawless. Friends also play a big role in how one views themselves. Having friends that worry about appearance and what people think of them can make you start obsessing about things you never had before.

So how do you avoid this destructible path and start to really like who you are? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Make a list containing three things you like about your self (your hair, your eyes, you personality, etc). Carry it with you to glance at if you are having a bad day.

2. Stay Active, most people who are active, have a better self image of themselves. Take a walk everyday, ride your bike or try a new sport.

3. Remember that everyone in the world is different for a reason, otherwise this would be a very boring place to live.

4. Talk to a friends or a family member when you are feeling down about yourself, they can usually perk up the situation.

So, instead of avoiding all the mirrors that you will run into throughout your life, embrace them, and start to like the person reflecting back.