Do You Like What you See When you Look in the Mirror?

We are all wonderfully and fearfully made. God created us in his image. Genesis 1:27 "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." The words "image" and "likeness" are used in Genesis 1:26-27 as adjectives to express the idea of the whole man being created in this way.

Seeing is believing. All our perceptions and actions are influenced by “that image” which we hold to be true of ourselves. Once the process of conceptualization begins, it involves the developmental stages of life which has its many contributing factors that will mould its outcome. This self image that we have of ourselves determines what we think we can or cannot achieve as well as our judgments and beliefs that correspond to our capabilities. Past experiences, successes, failures, feedback from peers, comments from strangers, our environments and childhood experiences all contribute in some way or the other.

We are habitual creatures that constantly reaffirm “that image” which we have crafted of ourselves. We constantly strive to ensure that our future will be consistent with the “self image” that we hold to be true, with those actions and decisions.

People often focus on their imperfections: that scar, big ears, broad nose just name a few. These slight modifications soon become skyscrapers. They often overshadow the good points; hence self-confidence, self-acceptance, and self-love soon become self-loathing. 

There are several factors that contribute to how individuals view themselves. Some of these include: the media, family and friends, trauma, and accidents. The media is the fundamental factor towards self-image. Celebrities are often viewed with perfect-clear skin, narrow waist, curvaous stature. Family and friends often highlight the imperfections of their siblings. This can further impact the views held by the sibling. Self-pity will begin to fester. The loss of health or well-being through accidents or long term illnesses can negatively impact the individual’s perception of their self.

It is said that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. This is not just related to how others might see you, it also relates to how you choose to see yourself. Real beauty comes from within. This concept primarily deals with how comfortable you are in your own skin. It therefore is very important that you like what you see and that you are able to distinguish what it is that you do not like from what you do.