Monday, July 28, 2014

Don't Try So Hard

The second I read about the Don't Try So Hard Linkup, I took a photo of myself and was ready to link up. I think it's a great idea, especially as someone who regularly disparages myself and overexposes my own photos to make me look better.

Here's what the link up is all about:

We needed to take a picture of ourselves where we're "not trying so hard." No makeup, no muss, no fuss. Here's mine!

Unshowered, no makeup, greasy face and hair. Good morning!

Then, we need to make sure to list at least one thing we find beautiful about ourselves.

I really really love my eyes. They are a beautiful color of blue, I have really long eyelashes, and I have a weird infatuation with my eyebrows. Even when I'm feeling fat and ugly and don't feel like putting on clothes or makeup, I put on some mascara (because otherwise my eyelashes are blonde and see-through) and look in the mirror and feel pretty just because of the uniqueness and brightness of my eyes.

I attack myself mentally every day about how I look. I hate my hair, my nose, every inch of my body. When I see a thin woman in a magazine or on tv, I find myself thinking, "What's that like? What's it like to be pretty?" The entire time I'm watching a stupid show like The Bachelorette I wonder, "How the hell do their thighs look like that in a bikini? What am I doing wrong?" It's actually pretty damn exhausting and unhealthy. I remember reading a comment on Reddit on a thread about that movie Magic Mike where a male reader said something along the lines of, "Is this how women feel all the time?!" referencing how bad the men's bodies in that movie made him feel about himself. Yep. That's how most of us feel all the time.

Which is pretty stupid when you think about it. If MOST OF US feel like that all the time, then we are the majority and we should feel normal, right? It's dumb. We're all beautiful in our own ways. I'm healthy and happy and take care of myself so maybe I should stop staring at everyone else's thighs for awhile?

That being said, it's nice to take a moment to embrace myself and something I love about me, not the skinny chicks on tv, but me. (Also, I'm married and don't have to go on tv to "fall in love" in a week so I guess I'll take my life and thighs over theirs?)

What do you find beautiful about yourself? (I think you're a hottie, personally)

Don't Try So Hard Link-Up

19 comments:

  1. You are so right ---negative self-talk is killer! I am so guilty of it too, though I am working hard to get better. The thing about trying to look like women on TV or in magazines is that we are reaching for something unattainable. Even those women will freely admit that they don't look like that in real life... it's all about the power of lighting or photoshop.

    For the record -- you are stunning as it. This picture is perfection. Your eyes and eyebrows are so beautiful and those LIPS! Girl... you have one of the best pouts around! Seriously! SO PRETTY!


    Thank you SO much for linking up with us!

    -Kate
    www.theflorkens.com

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    1. Thank you so much for this linkup! I'm so glad to be a new follower!

      And geez louise, thank you so much for your comments!!

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  2. I don't see one problem here Missy, you're beautiful!

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    1. Thank you so much, how friggin' sweet is that?!

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  3. Replies
    1. Thank you so much! They get puffy in the morning for some reason which I take as a bonus!

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  4. Girl, your eyes are mesmerizing! So beautiful! No makeup needed!

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    1. Thank you so much, that is so dang sweet!

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  5. That's a great point you made! If we are all insecure why don't we all just cut it out??? Dumb humans! You are gorgeous!!! Awesome picture!

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  6. you are beautiful and have no reason to compare yourself to anyone else! your eyes are gorgeous, and i totally am jealous of your eyebrows!

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    1. You are so sweet, thank you! Dude, I have a weird obsession with my eyebrows...

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  7. I love the way you write! Well said. And you do have rockin' eyes. And rockin' everything else.

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  8. You're 100% correct - we should all feel normal! Thank you for sharing your natural beauty and inspirational words with us! You are so beautiful!

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  9. Your lips are gorgeous. And real love is way better than prancing around TV in a bikini

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  10. I think you look beautiful! I haven't clicked past this post so this is the first picture I have seen of you. You look sweet, pretty and caring. Glad you put it up on the linkup.

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  11. you look beautiful and i love your eyes/eyebrows too. i know we can all be super hard on ourselves and it's definitely time to focus on our beauty/uniqueness instead!

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