A funny thing: a challenge!

Body image is a funny thing.  Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be some soapbox tirade about how commercials ruin women’s self esteem or how everyone is beautiful in his or her own way.

But this morning I found myself in the car, no external pressure or reason to be thinking this, but suddenly I was thinking about my “asymmetrical eyes” and wishing they were better matched.

That’s when I realized that this is something that I think really matter-of-factly about: on my worst days I even sometimes picture myself as wall-eyed.  I’m guessing that no one would call me that, or even pick on my eyes as being too small, or too narrow, or tell me that my eyelashes are too short and pale.  Yet these are all things that I sometimes hone in on when I look in the mirror or at a photograph.

Yesterday in rehearsal I overheard part of a conversation between two actors.  One (male) jokingly asked the other (female), “Well, do you like the way you look?”  After the slightest of pauses she replied “Um…sometimes, depends on the day.”

Now, this woman is like 5’10”, slender and blonde.  She has crazy long legs and big eyes.  I have been admiring her bangs for days.  But after I heard her say that, I wanted to pick her apart and figure out what it could possibly be that she wouldn’t like about her physical appearance.

The thing is, even if I could point to her and say “Her nose is too big” or “She has lopsided ears,” I bet the things she focuses in on when she looks in the mirror are not even things I could pick out.

Even Drew has mentioned things he would change about himself, things that I can’t see once he’s pointed them out.  So guys are not immune to this.

Body image is a funny thing. 

I have a confession.  (And I bet I’m not alone in this.)  Sometimes I stare in the mirror, but not in a negative way.  I admire things about myself, let myself obsess for five minutes or so about a feature I particularly like.  I feel like that has to be healthier than obsessing about something I can’t change anyway.

So if you dare, leave a comment with something you love about yourself.  Something specific and physical that you are really vain about.

I’ll even go first.  I am proud of my teeth.  I never had braces and they are really straight, and the right size for my face and for my mouth.  There, that wasn’t too bad.  Your turn.