I know that everyone can relate to this title — like me, you have felt ugly or inadequate in your life, or still do.
It’s a terrible feeling isn’t it? An ugly feeling.
But let’s examine for a moment why we actually feel ugly?
The answer is simple: comparison and consumerism.
It Takes A Village
We compare ourselves to other people, often people who look totally different or “better” than we do.
People who are often photoshopped, spend 5 days a week in the gym, have a glam squad, and get loads of often subtle plastic surgery and other expensive cosmetic features to look just that much better than you.
Looking good is a full time job!
It’s actually very VERY rare to find an influencer or celebrity who has had ZERO work done…If you find this person, let’s celebrate them!
And even if we try not to compare ourselves to these unrealistic people, we’ll still be seeing advertisements all around us, even in our very own Instagram feeds planting seeds of doubt in our subconscious about our appearance or status.
Have you noticed that every 5th image that you scroll on Instagram is an ad?
But wait…these are just sponsored posts being paid for to be put in front of YOU. Posts that you didn’t ask to see!
However, what about all the other people you willingly follow? How many are them are paid to wear the clothes, use the products that in theory should make you look and feel less ugly if you buy them?
And the ones that aren’t being paid by brands to promote their merch are trying their hardest to break into the BILLION dollar influencer industry by building up their own influencer status.
Hey, who doesn’t want to be paid to wear nice clothes, use expensive products, and travel the world?
At what cost?
The message that it sends to the rest of us is clear: buy shit, because you’re not enough without it, our planet be damned.
The average person forgets that the influencer industry is an INDUSTRY, that is it all still comes down to the dollar signs.
Brands have far reaching influence to the point that they’re somehow involved in most of the images that you see everywhere including on most social networks.
I want you to know that this feeling of inadequacy, of physical unattractiveness is totally MANUFACTURED by the marketing departments of all major brands.
You feeling ugly is good for business!
We have to stop falling for it.
If a person or brand makes you feel inadequate, then vote with your dollars and your attention — don’t buy their products and unfollow them.
You have the power and don’t you forget it.
That means you get to feel any way you choose to feel, and nobody can define your beauty or self-worth except you.
We see certain standards of beauty represented more than others, and think that we don’t live up to THOSE standards.
If history has taught us anything, is that beauty is in the eye of the status quo — meaning that standards of beauty are constantly changing depending on our culture (marketing!!!).
People used to lighten or hide their freckles, now people are DRAWING on freckles.
Which means that beauty standards are ARBITRARY and temporary so keeping up with this system is just a recipe for never-ending dissatisfaction…and probably never-ending spending (which is the point!).
They depend on you feeling bad about yourself, because a consumer that feels bad about themselves will spend more money!
Ooh, maybe these shoes will make me feel better…And maybe this cream?
Spoiler alert: they won’t.
Final Thoughts
Beauty is an inside job. You get to be beautiful by feeling beautiful.
You get to feel beautiful by being grateful for your wonderful body, and every atom of your being.
Are you going to conform to somebody else’s ideals when you are already the definition of ideal?
Define your own beauty. Beauty is what you decide it is and nobody can take it away from you. You don’t need permission to accept your look as beautiful.
Our differences is what makes us beautiful…but by trying to be like a select few, we water down our own beauty and individuality, while feeding into the marketing myth that we are not enough somehow.
But f*** brands and f*** marketing, because nobody can tell us how to see ourselves. You get to decide which part of you to love and which part to stop rejecting.
Love,
Olena
