You would think that by my age, people would pretty much get over themselves but with the invention of Facebook and social media has come a greater awareness of self image. I have always considered myself a late bloomer and have felt awkward about who I am for as long as I can remember. In life, there are times when you are more sure of yourself and where you stand in relation to your peers and the social circle surrounding you. As it stands, I am nearly 29 years old, never married, no kids, no house, and no career. The traditional benchmarks of one's life are yet to be met and measured- I am a blank book yet to be written.
Now I am going to be honest here for a minute. I have always struggled with weight issues. Although I don't think I am alone in this arena, the feeling of failure when it comes to my physical appearance, especially when comparing myself to my peers has become too much pressure. Comparing myself to all of you, people who are my friends, former classmates, and coworkers is unfair. Instead of working to become a better me, I found myself utterly captivated by the images and messages streaming to me via social media.
My response? To take a break from Facebook. It has been several weeks now since I have last checked in and I do not miss it. My feelings of self loathing have been replaced with a new acknowledgement of self worth. And it feels good.
I want to work to be a better me and my hope is that I will measure this success not by how my jeans fit but by how I feel and the smile on my face. It takes 6 weeks for a new behavior to become habit and 6 months for the habit be become part of your personality. As me in 6 months how I feel, and I hope I can say that I am feeling pretty damn good!
