Contest // Topic of the week №37 //What do you think about when you look in the mirror?

When we see ourselves in the mirror, our automatic response is we see a face that we recognize as our own. We can identify our own image and this alone is an incredible feat! Animals see another face of an animal when they look at a mirror and they feel threatened because of their own reflection. The wonders of the human existence and the gravity of how intellectual we are is evident on this one simple task.

Mirrors can ignite powerful feelings in us – and they can also be used for changing our own perspective and seeing fragments of our image that are usually concealed as we look out into reality. Our need to be recognized and identified is basic and innate.

When I was young , I have learned to understand myself through the reflections of those around me and learned about theirs. Whenever I looked at the mirror I saw someone who is beautiful and flawless. I was charmed with the image of myself I saw on that tiny little reflection of my small mirror. I thought that looking at my own reflection filled me with joy and it somehow helped me look at my own expressions. I was able to see how I felt and what I looked like while I was feeling it. I laughed, I cried, I made weird and funny faces and it gave me amusement and curiosity. This seemed to soothe me and was somehow affirming on the lenses of a young child.

As I grew older I learned, like most of us do that physical appearances are boxed with society's standard of beauty. I started to question myself if what I'm really seeing in my reflection is the real me. I started to doubt my confidence on uttering simple phrases to myself that " I am beautiful" or that "I'm still flawless". Everything changed, I lost all my confidence I once had when I was a young girl and started to confirm my negative thoughts that what I'm seeing is someone with flaws and an immeasurable amount of insecurity.

It became painful to look at myself in the mirror because the once happy girl that I was looking at the tiny reflection of myself became a woman with sad,depressing eyes that cannot even affirm her own feelings. This simple task became intricate and complicated.

I'm still hoping though that someday I could see someone in the mirror that acknowledges herself and get in touch with how she felt unconditionally. Looking past at her imperfections and into her own eyes with solitude. It could be a reality though that I could see myself and fell in love with myself without reservations. A way to simply be present with no goal other than to be there with myself- with my own flawed reflection.

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Thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity to share my thoughts on what I see about myself when looking at the mirror! I invite my friends to participate @monsiou,@jenesa and @kyrie1234.

       _{@sakura1012 is an ambivert, a non-conformist, a clinical psychology graduate student, a proud feminist and a life traveler. She is currently a part time writer- a mental health advocate and a mental health professional. She promotes mental health awareness and psychology related topics through her blogs. Join her as she do the things that she loves by putting her thoughts into words and by raising her voice though her articles.}