Blind Man, Blind Man, What do you See?

What do you see?

"IF THE WORLD WAS BLIND, HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD YOU IMPRESS?" -Boonaa Mohammed

Four out of five women wear make-up. MAC sells 1 lipstick and 1 eye shadow every two seconds.
The cosmetics industry was valued at 426 billion in 2011.  And 2012 was officially the year of the silicone breast implants. Clearly, we're investing in our appearance!
Is our self-esteem so bruised that we're turning to wrinkle reducing products for self-confidence? Why do we feel this need to enhance how we look? On a deeper note - are you equally invested in your well-being as you are in what we're seeing? If the world was blind, you know you wouldn't wear make-up or dye your hair. I'm the first to admit, even on my dishevelled days, I make sure I'm wearing the 'right' shoes. Heck I even went tanning last week so I could 'look' better in my dress. That is the power of visual perception! As a result, we judge ourselves and others based on appearance.
We all aspire to look a certain way, in hope of feeling better about ourselves. The truth is we'll only love ourselves unconditionally, when we can strip away the layers of pretence, and accept what we find. Underneath the highlights, bronzing powder, miracle bra, Spanx, is you, and me. We may not be authentic on the outside, but we should all aspire to be authentic on the inside. Ask yourself: Is what we see fuelling your self-confidence?
Today, anyone can look successful, but not many of us  feel successful. While we're busy enhancing our external features, we're neglecting our internal Self. Before you judge yourself on the scale (or on your yoga mat), consider the weight of your self-confidence first. We all have insecurities, but I think most of us focus on our physical inadequacies, while ignoring our emotional ones. Let's look in the mirror (before disguising our face) and accept what we see.....at least for today (baby steps).

Fall into Change

With Fall suspended in the air, 'change' is itching to take over. From an aesthetic perspective, the leaves start to change colour. The air sharpens. The sun descends earlier. There's something about Fall that I respect. For me, it's like the unveiling of my New Year Resolutions. I'm suddenly motivated to take a leap. Improve myself. Be more whole. I'm ready for CHANGE!
As I prepare to teach my new yoga session tomorrow, I remind myself of the following: "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." (that's most likely what I'll tell my students). Today you're somewhere; tomorrow you'll be elsewhere. No two days are alike - heck no two minutes are either.
Change is lingering, as my daughter starts school, my workload increases, and my routine goes from dull to dynamic. The same way in which the leaves grow through stages, so do we. Fall marks the beginning of change, encouraging achievable goals, with a commitment to stay the course.
Now, I'm not suggesting you start taking Crossfit classes! It would be enlightening, however, if you set an intention that will allow you to inch your way to a new personal discovery. Notice how I said 'discovery' and not 'achievement'? This is not January 1st, where we're making bets with our ego. This is about going beyond our comfort, so that we can grow. As much as I'm nurturing my spiritual evolution, my change of choice has deeper roots. My intention for Fall is to reprogram my thoughts. It's time to drop the long-winded story and reboot. The mental chaos (fear, judgement, anger, worry, guilt, blame, regret) is stifling. With so much change going on in my life, my confidence is being tested. Then I watch the news with all its war coverage and wonder, 'How can we have world peace, if we don't know peace within ourselves?' How can I ever refrain from judging others, blaming their choices, or getting pissed off at their reactions, if I cannot resolve that within myself? We need to BE the change!
This season, don't just change your lipstick shade or hair colour. Change your self-talk. Change your path. Change how you see things. Change your thoughts. Re-discover a part of yourself you miss. Re-evaluate your self-worth. Be Change, to See Change!