The Message in the Mirror

This statement was posted in the corner of the mirror at work as I washed my hands.  A simple, yet powerful reminder of the impact words can have on someone, as I found myself emotionally moved by it.

The simple message forced me to stop and think not only about the comments I routinely allow myself to succumb to, but the messages that I am sure my three teenage daughters hear and internalize on a daily basis.

Body image, a co-worker commented, is a central part of our culture and civilization. I agree.

Body image is the way that someone perceives their body and assumes others perceive them.  This image is often affected by family, friends, social pressure and the media, according to one of 10 facts about body image from DoSomething.org, a web based organization designed to get youth involved in their communities and causes.

The same organization noted that while approximately 91 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape, only 5 percent of women naturally possess the body type often portrayed by Americans in the media.

That statement alone gives me reason to pause and work to remind myself, my daughters and all women to stop trying to achieve an unrealistic body image and focus instead on making sure the body you have is as healthy as it can be.

This means, not only loving your body for the shape it is, but making sure you are feeding your body with healthy foods and taking time to exercise to achieve not only a healthy weight, but ensuring your muscles and heart are healthy.

I believe posting positive messages such as the one above can work to at least temporarily remind each of us that true beauty is not reflected in a mirror, but rather internally. Each person is unique with individual strengths and beauty.

…true beauty is not reflected in a mirror, but rather internally.

How powerful it could be if every public restroom in Grant County had a similar message posted on its mirrors – I for one will be strategizing with Hands of Hope’s prevention staff to see how this message can be created and designed and distributed as part of our evolving Expect Respect campaign and strategy for Grant County.

Because a person who is comfortable with their body, will in turn have a higher self-esteem and will then be less likely to fall victim to intimate partner violence, which in the end is what Hands of Hope’s and my ultimate goal is – the elimination of intimate partner violence in our community and society.