Real Beauty

Sitting on my bench with my hands clutching a pair of dumbbells I psych myself up to do another mean set. I scan the crowd of gym goers and my eyes are momentarily locked on a ruggedly sculptured man. My once captured eyes continue scanning to be confronted with a regular sight. The same crowd who congregate at the gym daily, and sometimes twice daily in pursuit of the body beautiful.

 I watch them step in front of the mirror as they examine their body centimetre by centimetre. I can see their brain obsessively ticking over. If I could delve inside their thoughts I would know that they were telling themselves “not good enough”, “not skinny enough”, and “not attractive enough”. I then see them enviously look at others. Unbeknownst to the others, their own competition with them begins.

Onto the treadmill they march where they torture themselves, painfully nearing collapse. Their own  gruelling punishment in pursuit of the body beautiful.

Some people associate physical beauty with confidence and as such will seek it out the only way they know how. A military style regimented “no pain, no gain" approach to diet and exercise. With no rest in their strive for confidence.

Every "body” is human, every “body” requires regular rest (inclusive of athletes), and every “body” requires balanced nourishment.

There is no exception.

Given my own past history I can easily observe these traits in people. Looking back into my distant past, that gloomy cloud had me blindly seeking out “confidence and control”. This obsessive approach to diet and exercise affords you neither. Rather than control it causes destruction. With a weary undernourished mind, it becomes delusional. Your delusion does not allow you to think straight, or focus in your activities of daily living. Your mind lacks insight into reality. Reality being that you cannot see your self-destruction. Your once healthy mind becomes sad. Your sadness further re-enforces those embedded personal insecurities. Your body becomes tired. Your body is a vehicle that drives you through life. Without sufficient fuel, and when it becomes over worked, it will break down.

Whilst you may’ve reached what your mindset sees as the “body beautiful”, to you, it will never be enough. Like banging your head against a wall you will keep going and, going. There will be no end. Without exception your insecurities will always be there. Obtaining the body beautiful will not buy you a ticket into confidence!

Real beauty comes from an acknowledgement of your inner beauty and an acceptance of your flaws. When you listen to loved ones as they attempt to re-inforce your positive traits:
Your talents, charisma, compassion and uniqueness. Although you may stop to listen, it’s when you hear these words, and realise that they are not just words but;

Truth.

-When you realise No"body" is perfect.

-When you allow balance into your life in a holistic manner.

-When you finally slow down to visit your inner self.

-When you re-introduce yourself to your long lost inner wonders.

Upon these discoveries is when you will shine and recognise your own unique

Real Beauty.