In a society where it matters more how you look physically than whether you are a good human being, appearance has become an obsession bordering on madness (body dysmorphia).
Never before have plastic surgeries, aesthetic treatments, nutritionists and gyms been such crowded places. I’m not saying it’s wrong, but there is a balance between feeling good about your body and being healthy and doing EVERYTHING regardless of risking your health unnecessarily to “look good”.
Vanity knows no gender; men and women are prone to it, but the competition is more notorious in women because they don’t want to show their age, to look younger, in an excessive eagerness to go against the biological clock.
There is a movie I recommend from the body horror genre, ‘The Substance’, in which the plot revolves around appearance. The film tells the story of how a famous actress (played by Demi Moore) feels when she reaches her 50’s and what she is capable of doing to look 20 and stay relevant and admired.
The message is brutal and powerful, the performances are wonderful and, if you are easily impressed, watch it and draw your own conclusions.
When you are over 40 years old, it is very common to hear phrases like: “You look great despite your age”, “You look like you are 20”, “You don’t look your age” and I wonder: do you have to look a particular way when you are 30 or 40 or 50 or more?
There are many factors that influence appearance such as genetics, skin type, lifestyle, race, etc. as they say: “it’s a lottery”. Blessed are those who don’t use creams, don’t diet, don’t go to the gym and always look young and beautiful, but congratulations also to those who take care of their health, exercise and eat healthy.
Of course there are others who want to age with “aids” and resort to aesthetic and surgical procedures and it is respectable. Just get advice and look for certified professionals, don’t fall for promotions; it’s about your health, not a burger combo.
Beauty standards have changed. Today there is a body-positive movement that is also respectable and targets plus size women, who, in my opinion, are women who at some point also wanted to fit into a small size and assumed that it’s not that their body is not perfect, but it’s different.
However, balance should be the premise in these times of extremes, not too thin, not too thick, unless it is their build, because in both cases they could expose their health to many diseases.
It is such a challenging society that demands not to let it show if you are a mom, if you are old, if you are thin, thick, tall, short, black, white, straight or frizzy, do not let it show.
And, when it does show, of course you’re rebellious, wayward. But believe me, it’s a relief to be the way you are; you’re free and you take off a heavy self-imposed burden.
Next December 20th, I will be 50 years old and, trust me, I haven’t felt so excited in a long time and for many reasons:
- The first is that I am so grateful for the life I have (my family, my friends, my job) because I have accomplished so much more than I ever dreamed of.
- The second is that I am alive. Yes, it may seem obvious, but in this day and age many people don’t make it to the half century alive and that’s another reason to be happy.
- And the third is that I’m going to make it to 50 without counting the years and happy. I like this version that I see every day, because I want it to show.
How nice it would be to look at yourself in the mirror every day and feel happy with the reflection you see, how nice it would be to always hear compliments and kind phrases, but the nicest thing is to love yourself as you are and accept that you are not just a body. The best thing you have is what you are and that should only matter to you.
Traducción del español: Catalina Oviedo Brugés
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