Oftentimes, it seems as though many turn their head to problems that we as a nation are experiencing with body image and self-esteem. It is said that over 10 million American women and girls currently suffer from self-destructing eating disorders; that’s more than are suffering with breast cancer. I think we can safely conclude that millions more are suffering with poor body image and low self-esteem. However, despite the large number of individuals being affected by these issues, it seems little is being done to combat the epidemic.

As stated previously, more U.S. women and girls are currently suffering from an eating disorder than are suffering from breast cancer. Despite that fact, it is much easier to recall advertising campaigns, events and fundraisers dedicated to raising awareness and funds for breast cancer. Now, I’m not saying there should be less done to benefit breast cancer by any means (my grandmother actually passed away from breast cancer), but I’m just trying to shed light on the reality that exists here in America. We have a serious lifelong issue with body image and it affects men and women all across the nation. It is destroying us and it seems little is being done to change this fact.

Much of this constricted idea of beauty is coming from the media which surrounds us in our everyday lives. As models today become younger, taller and thinner, the narrow idea of what beauty consists of, has become unattainable for all but a very small number of females. With the average model being 5 foot, 11 inches and weighing 117 pounds, this contrasts sharply with the average American woman who stands 5 foot 4 inches and weighs 145 pounds. It is sad to think that those models in the industry that would actually represent the average American woman, are often shunned and instead deemed “plus size models”; if that fact alone doesn’t scream “WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS”, then I don’t know what will.

Although there are occasional glimmers of hope that the media and its images may change, until then, this issue requires pro-activity by the very people reading this blog. We can do something. We can change the way we view beauty in today’s society. We can demand that a broader idea of beauty be depicted in our media. And we can begin to recognize the fact that beauty comes in all sizes, shapes, ages and ethnicities, but most importantly lies within our hearts.

That’s right, real beauty radiates from the inside out. It is seldom if ever, that the media would focus on the importance of inner beauty and well, the importance of being a good person. However, in all reality, who you are on the inside matters much more than what you look like on the outside. Sure, good looks might grab you a few more glances as you walk down the street or a cut in line at a popular bar, but the reality is that looks will fade away, but the essences of who we are as an individuals has a much more lasting impact.

It all begins with you, and learning to love and accept yourself for who you are. We are all beautifully unique in our own way, and if we cannot recognize this fact, how do we expect others to do so? Building up your self-esteem and self-confidence is essential in order to live a happy, healthy life.

When you learn to love yourself, you are naturally taking control of your life. With healthy self esteem you become the ruler of your life and the dictator of your daily success. So begin each day by saying something positive about who you are. Write these things down in a journal or on post-its and refer back to them when you need a pick-me-up. Dedicate yourself to trashing the Fat Talk and only saying nice things about yourself and your body. Over time, these things will make a world of difference. It all begins with you and the power of positive thinking. Together, we can change the way the world sees beauty.

To learn more about building your self-esteem and becoming a critical viewer of the media, visit Tiffany’s website at www.Beautifully-Unique.webs.com .

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 1st, 2010 at 9:22 am and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.