This one is difficult for me . . . I have what you might call a few ‘issues’, when it comes to the way I see myself. I’ve never been too concerned with how others see me, I doubt anyone could judge me as harshly as I do myself. In some ways, this makes me a complete hypocrite. It does. I think people are beautiful, I truly do. It breaks my heart when I hear someone criticizing themselves, and yet, I do it to myself all the time.

When I look into a mirror or see a photograph of myself, I see a distorted version of the me everyone else sees. It’s called Body Dysmorphia. I don’t like what I see. I’m trying especially hard these days to combat that nasty little voice inside my head that likes to turn mountains into mole hills, or in my case, a mole into a mountain.

Realistically, I know what I see is an illusion, but emotionally it’s as real as anything else. I suppose we all suffer from this to an extent, we can all pinpoint things about ourselves we might consider flaws, things others would likely never even notice unless we pointed them out. I’m trying not point mine out, especially to myself.

This week, a fellow blogger, HastyWords, (beautiful both inside and out) issued a challenge in response to a challenge and it resonated with me, scared the crapolla out of me too because it involved sharing photos of yourself. Cue anxiety. I could have ignored it, but that would be giving in to the stinkin’ thinkin’ that keeps me in hiding.

The Facebook post that started it all –

“The ‪#‎dontjudgeme‬ challenge makes zero sense to me. The before or after have nothing to do with anything real.

So I think the point is… You try to make yourself as undesirable as possible so you can shock us with your best possible self?

I mean it’s harmless right? But really it’s just another way society is focusing on the wrong things. How about just don’t judge me period.”

You can visit her blog, here, to read more . . .

And on The SisterWives, read Lizzi’s post, In a world so quick to judge, just #BeReal.

So – I am sucking it up and getting real. Too real if ya ask me . . .

Obviously – Not a fan of mornings!

In this world of filters and Photoshop, true beauty has been replaced by an unrealistic ideal of what makes a person beautiful and it’s harmful . . . it’s just not real. The women we see on magazine covers have been airbrushed all over, thinned here, and elongated there. Their hair isn’t that thick, their skin isn’t that smooth, their teeth aren’t that white, and their bodies aren’t that toned. It’s not real. 

Ready to #BeReal and show the world what beautiful really is? Share your real you, your everyday you, time to shine lovelies, shine.