As social media quickly advances, perceptions of our bodies quickly diminish. Along with the skewed views of reality that have you staring back at an exaggerated fun house version of yourself, it’s rare for women to verbalize happiness with their appearance.
“My pores are huge.” “My nail beds suck.” “I have man shoulders.” “I can’t wear this today; it’s too tight and I look six months pregnant.”***
 Alright, I give. No Mean Girl ever said they were with child, but haven’t we heard it before? I’ve never showed discontent with my nail beds, but the sarcastic particularities of self-deprecation are getting at something. The more and more marketing ads and magazines depict rail thin, or flawlessly voluptuous models who had the hands of god mold each fat cell into place, the more and more we are deceived. And frankly, the more our health deteriorates.
Not only do those with body issues tend to showcase behaviors for body dysmorphia (a disorder where there is a profound negative distortion of one’s body image), it can also lead to eating disorders, addiction to exercise and plastic surgery and increasingly severe self-criticism.
In the midst of what seems to be a future filled with lengthy scans in a mirror that refuses to tell you just how fair you are, there have been recent glimpses of beautiful reality.
Take for example this woman undergoing every possible alter known to man, and then tell me the front page cover of your favorite celebrity is 100% organic:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/maycie/powerful-video-shows-what-photoshop-can-do
Or, for example, this press release back in May 2012 stating that one of the top fashion magazines in the world, Vogue, agreed to no longer depict models that are too thin or too young in their succeeding issues.
 And finally, as my final example, the ever-talented and quirky Jennifer Lawrence, along with many celebrities, who vouch for a healthy body image as opposed to a perfect body (whatever that is). These people hold rank. They are the ones flaunted across magazines, billboards and television commercials and I respect their responsibility and positivity to their audiences.
Don’t get me wrong, though. I am writing for those with an unhealthy body image that believe one appearance or another is “better” or more “perfect” than their own. Whatever size you may be, the true and healthy self is the best self.
These glimpses are too few and far between but they’re not impossible to find. With the right tools and attitude, we can all do a little searching for a beautiful reality within and of ourselves. It’s there. It always has been. It’s waiting to show you just how fair you truly are…if only we’d dare to ask ourselves instead of the mirror.
***Note: I happen to think pregnant women are extremely brave, and exhibit beauty within the act of being with child. I am more accurately referring to what is commonly known as a food baby.