Mirror Challenge: Perfect Imperfections
By Keri Campbell & Abi Jessen
Have you ever looked into a mirror and said: “damn, you’re perfect”? Oftentimes, looking in the mirror can feel like a chore or even painful if the reflection staring back at you isn’t what you think of as beautiful. Some women do a quick makeup job and try to get away from the mirror as fast as they can, and avoid it the rest of the day. Some women keep their heads down while walking in the restroom or if they do look in the mirror they say at least one negative thing about themselves. Did you know that women criticize themselves at least eight times a day? This mirror challenge is to change the way you think about yourself. What really is perfection? Who told us what the “perfect body” is? Why do we feel that we can judge other’s bodies as perfect and ours as imperfect?
This challenge is to aid you in loving your perfect imperfections. Enjoy your big sexy curves, your straight lanky body or your beautiful beauty marks all over your body. And remember that your scars are not scars, they are beautiful war wounds that show how amazing and strong you are.
This Mirror Challenge is only as effective as you let it be. Choose what is comfortable for you, but always try to push a little further. For the next full month, we have a challenge assigned to each week to help you progress. You can do this naked, or if that is too hard doing the first time, go slow by doing it with your clothes on. Keep pushing yourself though, till you can reach the full effect of the challenge. Remember that this exercise is to build up, not tear down. So do it alone, and maintain positivity throughout the exercise. This is about loving and accepting your body. And you deserve this.
Week 1: stare at yourself for five straight minutes in the mirror. After five minutes of starring at yourself replace the negative thought of one thing that bugs you the most about yourself. For example, if you don’t like your breasts instead of thinking: “My chest is too big” or “My chest is too small”-rewrite it to be: “My chest is fantastic! My chest is the perfect size for me. I’m so grateful for my chest. I am beautiful just the way I am.” Every day of the first week, add five extra minutes and five positive remarks about your body to each day. By the end of the week you should be staring at yourself for a total 35 minutes with 35 positive things to say about your body. If you skip any parts of your body, go back and focus on that. Whatever you wanted to avoid is actually the one you get to work on the most and do.
Week 2: Now instead of just thinking the positive thoughts, we are now going to make them visual. Write on your mirror, with a dry erase marker, positive things about your body. For example: “I have a beautiful smile. I have a beautiful, perfect nose. I have wonderful beauty marks. My body shows how strong I am. I am proud of my stretch marks that reveal the strength and creativity of my body.” Continue to stand in front of the mirror, naked or clothed, and remind yourself of these truths about your body.
Week 3: This week we are going to say all of the positive and beautiful things about our bodies OUT LOUD every day until you feel it and believe it. Speaking it makes it feel concrete, that it’s no longer just a thought or an image. If needs be, feel free to shout it till you FEEL it with every bone in your body.
Week 4: Write yourself a new love letter everyday about the things you used to see as imperfections, but are actually wonderful traits that make up YOU. Because you, right now, just as you are, is a beautiful unique goddess. And you get to celebrate that!!!
That concludes our monthly challenge, we are SO proud of you for taking on the mirror challenge. We encourage you to continue these practices, especially if you ever doubt or forget how amazing you truly are. Thank you for taking this journey with us. We look forward to next month’s challenge.
Thank you,
The Arabella Team
©K.S.C