The Curly Chronicles: How to Embrace Imperfection: 8 Steps to Becoming a More Confident You

Hey guys!

I hope you're all having a happy Tuesday! Recently I've cut out a bunch of things from my everyday diet in the hopes of beginning to tone up and get ready for the summer. The point of this post isn't to tell you guys you all need to change and stop eating the things you want or doing the things you do, but to tell you guys that in 8 steps, you can learn to embrace imperfection.

There is no such thing as imperfection. Every "imperfection" you have is simply another aspect of yourself that makes you more unique.
Get in front of the mirror and take a good look at yourself. Take in all those scars, freckles, rolls, wrinkles, stretch marks, blemishes, and any other flaw you think you have. True, mirrors don't lie, but our eyes do. Funny thing about people, they will always see what they want to see. Know that no matter what you see, you can change what you don't like, and love what you can't change.
Ignore what everyone says about you, ignore what the media is telling you, ignore the thigh gaps, bikini bridges, muffin tops, tank top arms, back fat, bubble butts, and any other body image we're slammed with everyday. For the men out there, same thing. Don't have a six pack? That's cool, we don't either. Don't have sculpted arms? That's fine, we don't have double D boobs and a Nicki Minaj butt. Bottom line? In the end, looks are just a short term burst of confidence. Personality is a long term confidence booster, and that's probably why it's so easy to overlook. People can't take a photo of a personality like they can photograph a body. People like the short term burst of happy as opposed to the long term happiness that can be achieved through your own personal quirks.
To go along with that, if you like to body build and get fit and be healthy, good for you. Be proud of the self control and effort you put into achieving your goals. If you don't, be proud that you're getting through another day in this messed up world we live in. No matter who you are or what you believe or how you choose to live your life, be happy with it, and if you're not, you have the power to change it. I could go on for days about htis, but just be happy with you, okay?
Makeup doesn't make you fake or false advertise or change who you are. Makeup enhances who you are and your features. It's not covering up your imperfections. Makeup is like confidence in a bottle. If you don't need it, good for you, if you do, don't feel like it's a coverup for who you are.
Oh you're awkward? Me too! I'm so awkward it's painful. That being said, embrace the awkward, don't be embarrassed by it. Learn to laugh at yourself and you'll never feel like you're being made fun of again. A smile is so much more beautiful than a pout anyway.
Tell yourself you're awesome every single day. Literally every single day. It does wonders.
Lastly, keep your head high. No one else's opinion of you matters except your own.

Thank you so much for reading this post and I hope it helped you in some way shape or form! It's not just girls you want to feel loved, pretty, and accepted, guys do too, I'm sure, so this post is also for all the guys out there who experience any body image struggles or any situation where you feel like you're not good enough. You are, you always will be, and you are more than enough for anybody. As my girl, Audrey Hepburn once said, "Happy Girls are the Prettiest." I'm sure she meant guys too.

Enjoy the rest of your day and I will be back with a new post for you soon!

XOXO,

A. Bean

PS- Somebody out there cares, somebody out there loves you, and somebody out there is just waiting to know you, so don't get crushed by pressures or struggles. Keep that head up, and that smile bright. ♥

PPS- LET'S CONNECT! (That sounded like a really bad dating site ad...)