Im going to be honest and confess that I'm not your ideal 'beauty'.
This is because I don't hit the 'standards of beauty'. I don't have a small face with a sharp chin that's all the rage recently. My face is large and broad. I have been called sepet all my life because of my tiny squinty eyes. Sepet is a slang for small slanty eyes. Plus, I'm a mono lid. I'm not blessed with double eyelids which are considered beautiful. My nose is too bulbous, skin too tanned, not voluptuous enough with a boyish figure. I've also been called a stick insect as I'm quite small framed.
Growing up, there was a particular Aunty who liked to refer to me by the nickname she gave me because of my tiny eyes. It embarrassed me and made me uncomfortable though I never told her so. But I think the disdain for my tiny eyes was sealed forever in my heart when somebody wrote in my autograph book to not smile or my eyes will close. I was only 9.
Needless to say, just like most Asian girls growing up, I've considered going for plastic surgery to correct my monolids. I've always wished I was born pan-Asian to have more westernised features. I grew up watching Beverly Hills 90210 and I idolised the western standard of beauty as that's what I grew up with.
I guess all these name calling and unrealistic standards of beauty dished out through the media, they were very unhealthy for my self esteem and I have a poor body image as I was growing up. Made me very envious of others who are blessed naturally or those who are blessed with good surgeons.
Luckily, I've outgrown my insecurities as I get to discover myself better and learn to love and accept myself better. It doesn't really matter if I'm not an 'ideal beauty' because what matters is I'm comfortable in my own skin and accept myself and love myself as I am. What matters is my family and friends love me for who I am and not for how I look. (That said, I'm all for plastic surgery for tweaking if it makes you feel better about yourself) When you accept yourself, you look after yourself better. Your inner peace and beauty radiates out of you. It's like the reason why you are hopelessly drawn to certain individuals but you have no idea why.
Everyone is unique and beautiful in their own ways. So, spare a thought before you tease someone, even jokingly, about their looks. A harmless tease from you could be detrimental to another person's self esteem without us knowing. Instead, why don't we all start to get to know someone better instead of judging them by their looks?
So, shall we pay it forward and compliment someone today to make their day? Like and share if you agree with me!
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