In today's looks and media obsessed society, we spend a lot of time thinking about the image that we're cultivating to the world. What do people see when they look at us? What persona are we giving off?
As we get ready for the day, we have so many thoughts about our body (54 perhaps?) as we try to find the balance betwen looking good, feeling good, and... not caring what anyone else thinks.
We often spend too much time focusing on the literal image, i.e. what people see with their eyes, whether that means our outfit, our skin, or our social media page. All of that effort on the outside often is a cover up so that we can avoid any introspection.
And yes, women have a unique relationship with cultivating an image, but this isn't just an issue for women! Men have to work hard to cultivate an image of masculinity, and they often realize that it's harming more than helping them, as Carlos Andrés Gómez found out.
There are so many pressures and things we think we should be doing. But we have the power to stop it! No, I'm not saying that you're suddenly never going to care about how people perceive you. But you can try. There is no fixed image you have to project. The polaroid is blank; the image has yet to develop. You can decide right now to stop showing the world something that's different than what you feel inside. You can decide right now to stop caring so much that you fit the image other people have of you. It takes effort for sure, but if you're willing to put the work in, it's a huge relief.
What image do you want to project to yourself?
