How to Stop Cringing in the Mirror (recognizing what’s truly beautiful)

“Somewhere between infancy and adulthood, the mirror went from joyous self-discovery to evidence in the court of insecurity.”  ~KW

Have you ever noticed the fun babies and toddlers have in front of mirrors? They smile and giggle at themselves with something you might call authentic delight.

They love looking at themselves in the mirror. And it doesn’t matter whether or not they are the cutest thing on the block either. They are simply and openly delighted by their image.

Sick Scrutiny

Where did that go? Why have we allowed others to determine the standard by which we judge ourselves?  Why even judge? Why do we relegate ourselves to the bottom of the imaginary attractive scale and stop smiling and giggling at what we see in the mirror?

Why do we start paying so much attention to things like wrinkles and nose lengths and freckles and blemishes and all our perceived imperfections? Why do we look so closely at the so-called blemishes that we miss the beauty that surrounds the “blemish” entirely?

Mirrors Miss what’s Important

Never allow the irrelevant and superficial to define you. Never let the insignificant be the glue that holds the personality of social circles together. Stop neglecting the essence of your being to focus on the skin-surface irrelevancies of skin tone and Ph balance, lip shape and jaw line.

Besides, the mirror cannot reflect what matters most. It cannot tell you who you are or what you’re made of. It cannot reflect character or personality or kindness or love or persistence or compassion. It tells us nothing that is important about you. Absolutely nothing.

The Ring or the Box

Our frequent reaction to mirrors is a bit like getting upset that the diamond ring came in a shabby box. Who cares if the box isn’t shiny! It contains a diamond ring, for crying out loud! That’s what you should be looking at in the mirror. The diamond. Not judging the gift for the box it comes in!

So, let’s get back to that state where we sincerely delight at seeing ourselves in the mirror, thrilled to see our own reflection, laughing, smiling, in awe and reverence for the inner glow of our true beauty.