A Barbie I’m Not!
“My only regret in life is that I’m not someone else.”
Woody Allen
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about who I would like to be if I wasn’t me. I didn’t come to any startling conclusions. I must admit there have been times in my life when I wished I was someone else. Then, I return to reality and go on with the life and person I’ve been given.
I smiled to myself as I read the physical description of the newest Barbie being produced. In an attempt to represent all those people with less than fantasy figures, the giant toy maker Mattel is introducing a more realistic Barbie. A softer hairstyle, smaller bust line, larger waist and smaller hips will be featured on this special edition.
I smiled even more when the Wall Street Journal decided to herald Barbie’s changes on its front page. Maybe it says something about the fascination we have with glamour, physical perfection, and the human body. We must, or why would a Barbie sell every two seconds. The average American girl owns eight, and more than 1 billion have been sold since her birth in 1959. Multitudes of people still marvel at this icon’s distinctive shape.
This was a decade ago and in 2009 Barbie celebrated her 50th birthday (of course you will never notice). She’s the epitome of youth, perfection and attractiveness. I’m sure Mattel will continue to ensure Barbie’s avid fans the same perfect doll will be on the shelves for years to come.
How about a ‘real world’ application? Instead of comparing ourselves to a perfect specimen, plastic or not, we should view ourselves in terms of our own abilities, special attributes and even our less than perfect characteristics. To admire and fantasize about perfection is an exhausting activity not even capable of producing microscopic change.
The magazine cover featured a picture of Michele Pfeiffer and the caption read, “What Michele Pfeiffer Needs Is...Absolutely Nothing!” Oh really?
It was later discovered that Michele Pfeiffer did need a little help to appear perfect on the magazine’s cover. She needed over $1500 worth of touch-up work on that cover photo. From the touch-up artist’s bill, here is a partial list of things that were done to make Michele Pfeiffer look beautiful:
Clean up complexion, soften eye lines, soften smile line, add color to lips, trim chin, remove neck lines, soften line under earlobe, add highlights to earrings, add blush to cheek, clean up neckline, remove stray hair, remove hair strands on dress, adjust color and add hair on top of head, add dress on side to create better line, add forehead, add dress on shoulder, soften neck muscle a bit, clean up and smooth dress folds under arm, and create one seam on image on right side.
That bit of nothing cost $1525.00. Even my photos could look decent with a fifteen hundred dollar touch up. (I said decent, not perfect.)
How easy it is to compare ourselves with the media stars, Barbie, or even Mary or Jim down the street who appear to be the perfect specimens of humankind. Consider this thought: each of us is perfect because we were created to look like we do. And yes, in the eyes of the world, some people are more blessed than others. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Self -acceptance makes it possible for you to feel comfortable with the reality that you project on the outside what you feel on the inside. Accepting who you are right now sets the stage for you to upgrade those areas needing a bit of attention. Without acceptance, self-pity and a defeatist attitude will permeate our lives and make personal development virtually impossible.
I’m all for growing, improving, and upgrading our lives. But, only from a realistic starting point of who we are, not what we wish we could be based on someone else’s specifications, or even our own unrealistic expectations.
Denis Waitley says, “It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you’re not.”
Think about it.
“Self-esteem can be compared to a stack of poker chips. Those with the most chips play aggressively. Less chips, less risks.”
Jack Canfield
“My only regret in life is that I’m not someone else.”
Woody Allen
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about who I would like to be if I wasn’t me. I didn’t come to any startling conclusions. I must admit there have been times in my life when I wished I was someone else. Then, I return to reality and go on with the life and person I’ve been given.
I smiled to myself as I read the physical description of the newest Barbie being produced. In an attempt to represent all those people with less than fantasy figures, the giant toy maker Mattel is introducing a more realistic Barbie. A softer hairstyle, smaller bust line, larger waist and smaller hips will be featured on this special edition.
I smiled even more when the Wall Street Journal decided to herald Barbie’s changes on its front page. Maybe it says something about the fascination we have with glamour, physical perfection, and the human body. We must, or why would a Barbie sell every two seconds. The average American girl owns eight, and more than 1 billion have been sold since her birth in 1959. Multitudes of people still marvel at this icon’s distinctive shape.
This was a decade ago and in 2009 Barbie celebrated her 50th birthday (of course you will never notice). She’s the epitome of youth, perfection and attractiveness. I’m sure Mattel will continue to ensure Barbie’s avid fans the same perfect doll will be on the shelves for years to come.
How about a ‘real world’ application? Instead of comparing ourselves to a perfect specimen, plastic or not, we should view ourselves in terms of our own abilities, special attributes and even our less than perfect characteristics. To admire and fantasize about perfection is an exhausting activity not even capable of producing microscopic change.
The magazine cover featured a picture of Michele Pfeiffer and the caption read, “What Michele Pfeiffer Needs Is...Absolutely Nothing!” Oh really?
It was later discovered that Michele Pfeiffer did need a little help to appear perfect on the magazine’s cover. She needed over $1500 worth of touch-up work on that cover photo. From the touch-up artist’s bill, here is a partial list of things that were done to make Michele Pfeiffer look beautiful:
Clean up complexion, soften eye lines, soften smile line, add color to lips, trim chin, remove neck lines, soften line under earlobe, add highlights to earrings, add blush to cheek, clean up neckline, remove stray hair, remove hair strands on dress, adjust color and add hair on top of head, add dress on side to create better line, add forehead, add dress on shoulder, soften neck muscle a bit, clean up and smooth dress folds under arm, and create one seam on image on right side.
That bit of nothing cost $1525.00. Even my photos could look decent with a fifteen hundred dollar touch up. (I said decent, not perfect.)
How easy it is to compare ourselves with the media stars, Barbie, or even Mary or Jim down the street who appear to be the perfect specimens of humankind. Consider this thought: each of us is perfect because we were created to look like we do. And yes, in the eyes of the world, some people are more blessed than others. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Self -acceptance makes it possible for you to feel comfortable with the reality that you project on the outside what you feel on the inside. Accepting who you are right now sets the stage for you to upgrade those areas needing a bit of attention. Without acceptance, self-pity and a defeatist attitude will permeate our lives and make personal development virtually impossible.
I’m all for growing, improving, and upgrading our lives. But, only from a realistic starting point of who we are, not what we wish we could be based on someone else’s specifications, or even our own unrealistic expectations.
Denis Waitley says, “It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you’re not.”
Think about it.
“Self-esteem can be compared to a stack of poker chips. Those with the most chips play aggressively. Less chips, less risks.”
Jack Canfield
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