We are bombarded by media images on a daily basis, but whether we allow them to slither into our minds or not is completely in our control. I love the photograph below and I feel like it captures the turmoil that goes on in so many of our inner thoughts and struggles for self-identity. The loud voices of media can feel so overwhelming that often it is difficult to know where to turn.
This trecherous impact of media marketing is not limited to women. Men are under as much social pressure to be perfect as women. We expect men to have six-pack abs, great shoulders and biceps, and fitness-model body fat percentages, and it just isn’t realistic.
It’s up to you to choose the influences you want to impact your mind, and ultimately your body-image. If watching MTV makes you not like yourself naked in the mirror, then stop watching MTV. About a year ago I stopped watching MTV, VH1 and reading magazines like InTouch, US Weekly and Starz, and it has helped transform my self-perception. If we don’t stop comparing ourselves to the photoshopped and modified images, we will never be happy.
The desperate cry for body confidence and self-esteem is so prevalant in our country that we are almost immune to its ringing that is surrounding us. It is up to us to start the revolution, and the first changes start with yourself. Strive to live a healthy lifestyle, be thankful for a healthy body, and aspire to be the best version of you that you can be.