Are You Too Attached To Your Appearance?

By Author: Jill Cohen
Total Articles: 79
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We often find ourselves thinking a lot about how we look and this can effect our self-esteem tremendously.The commercials focus on having too much hair, not having enough hair, being too fat, problems with wrinkles, and other issues that are easy to influence your self-image. Are you the one in the mirror?

No one is saying to neglect your appearance, but are you putting too much weight on this factor? Sadly, many of the reality tv shows focus on this and make it easy to measure oneself by those standards. There aren't any reality tv shows that have winners based on kindness, compassion and wisdom. Wouldn't that make an amazing show?

Think about what qualties you admire in other people. What are you trying to convey to your children? Do you want them to be kind to others, focus on growing their scope of knowledge and being aware of the world around them? These are values that make a difference in our world. Even with all the plastic surgery, we are still vulnerable to aging and disease. Many eastern religions focus on this and encourage meditation as a way to put one's time and energy into something fruitful that ...
... isn't transitory.

What values do you have and what are you cultivating? How do you want to be remembered after your death. Some of these questions are hard to think about when one is in their twenties. Plus, the world around us encourages the emphasis on superficialities. Be different and think about what truly matters. This doesn't mean one shouldn't enjoy the colors and things of this world. But, it's a question of balance and emphasis.

When your priorities are not on appearances it also is easier to deal with disappointments and many competitive situations. Take time to reflect and write about what you truly find important. How would you want the world to operate? Do you base your friendships on how someone looks or on how they are as a friend? Sometimes taking stock of yourself can change your direction and add much more meaning to your life. People often give up careers where they make a lot of money and go into teaching or social work later in life. Why is that? How do you want your life to unfold?

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