Insecurities. We all have them. We unfortunately live during a time when companies are preying on our insecurities while disguising themselves as our friends. Bombarded by ads meant to make us feel insecure and promote a product that will “help” rid us of that insecurity. Since we cannot control what these big companies are doing, or the ads that we are bombarded with on a daily basis, all we can control is ourselves. We can decide to not let our insecurities control our actions. We can look for long term solutions to remaining healthy or taking our health back instead of the often quick band aid solutions that are sold to us. There are a few insecurities that seem to plague our society. Worrying about appearance is on the top of that list, whether it’s how fat we are, gray hair, wrinkles or just “looking old”.
I want to start by saying there is nothing wrong with you and nothing needs fixing. Having these insecurities is completely normal and every person has something that bothers them.There is nothing wrong with trying to change yourself. However, quick “fixes” usually do not help the problem. They usually do not leave you feeling better about yourself, or feeling more comfortable in the skin you’re in. This can often lead to a snowball effect of having to keep going back and using more of a product or having a more extreme procedure done. Unfortunately, plastic surgeons and cosmetic/pharmaceutical companies prey on this knowledge. It can be like an addicting drug. You can never quite get enough of it. This is why I think it is so important to work on the mental aspect of it all. Whatever it is you do not like about yourself, try to get down to the bottom of it. Why is it that you do not like it. Once you have figured that out, which can be a stressful process, try to reshape the way you think about it. Focus on the qualities that you love about yourself, and even start to learn to love the qualities that you want to change by accepting them as who you currently are.
Working diligently on your health is the most beneficial thing you can do. It will help improve your mind and body all at the same time. Often when we work on building healthy habits, other things seem to fall in line such as self confidence, mental clarity, and overall mental health. Focusing on developing habits is a great way to not focus on the problem but on the solution. We can get caught up in problems and festering over the annoyances but that usually doesn't help create change. It usually just leads to a toxic mental state that can spill over into other parts of your life. When you create healthy habits and put effort and energy into sticking to them, the benefits go far beyond yourself. Suddenly relationships are better, work becomes better, life becomes better.
Investing in your health can save you thousands down the road. Not to say that it is easy to create new behaviors, but when talking about preventing a lot of headaches down the road it is well worth it. However, you have to be thinking long term and not short term. This is probably the most important healthy behavior that you can develop. The ability to plan for the future and not fall victim to instant gratification, can lead to happiness when hard times strike. When hard times come you will have plenty of practice being strong and you will be prepared for it.
Solutions are far more valuable to spend time on than the issues themselves. Work on becoming a better you one step at a time, one habit at a time, one day at a time. There isn’t a rush. A wedding, vacation, or school reunion is no excuse to pick up unhealthy behaviors to achieve a certain “aesthetic”. Remember to stop and think about the why and think long term. Planning now for the future will give you the longevity you will be looking for down the road. “Today’s habits build tomorrow’s destination.”