SELF ESTEEM STARTS ON THE INSIDE NOT THE OUTSIDE

Every day in America, thousands upon thousands of people rush to get botox, plastic surgery or shiny red sports cars – all in a vain effort to improve the way they feel about themselves. Somehow the good feeling either doesn’t come or it fades quickly. In an effort to get the desired outcome, one botox injection leads to another, one plastic surgery is frequently followed by another and one make and model of the shiny red sports car is followed by another.nnNow I don’t have a problem with a person wanting to look good. And I certainly don’t have a problem with sports cars of any color.nBut we all have learned cosmetic things may make us feel good (much like a new hat, a new dress, a new suit, or a new pair of shoes) but the feeling doesn’t provide a lasting change to our self esteem.nnThanks to Hollywood and Madison Avenue we have been incorrectly taught that unless our bodies, our faces and our hair looks just like that which is in vogue on the tube and the screen – we are somehow less than desirable.nnWe all want to feel good about ourselves. We all want to feel like we are popular, attractive, smart, capable and competent. We all want to feel good about who and what we think we are. We all want to be liked by others – because most of us think that if someone else thinks we are smart, cute, handsome, strong, sexy or cool – then by golly, it must be so. Once someone else tells us it is so (by words or actions) we begin to feel like we can then act as if it is true.nnForbes magazine recently reported that the average American spends over $10,000 per year on cosmetics, and cosmetic surgery.nnRather than spend so much money exclusively on the exterior where it is short lived and often ineffective, why not spend one-tenth of that amount on the interior where it will actually accomplish the result we really desire? Why not take a course; learn a new skill, learn a language, learn a new craft, learn how to garden or learn a musical instrument? Why not buy a book, attend a class, go to a seminar – volunteer your time to a worthwhile charity? Why not spend some time getting in touch with your spirituality, through church or meditation?nnAs you learn new skills and develop your talents you will dramatically improve your self image. As this internal image of yourself begins to improve you will be less reliant on your exterior image for validation and approval.