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We should ignore mainstream ideals of beauty

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I am so bored by the media’s expectations of what beauty is: long, perfectly highlighted and straightened locks?

*Yawn*

Long nails that are impractical to cook and bake with? No thanks!

The ‘perfect body’ by living on lettuce leaves and spending hours at the gym? Nah! Seriously, life is too short.

I don’t know about you, but I’d be seriously cheesed off if I spent all my time and money living up to the world’s expectations of true beauty, only to be hit by a bus just as I finally manage to fit into those expensive skinny jeans. If you knew that your next meal would be your last, wouldn’t you want to relish in it?

The reality is that very few people know when their last meal would be yet so many of us chase after this unattainable ideal.

While I’m all for health and sensible eating, we seem to be pushed into extremes where life is NEVER fun. You go from working hard all day to spending hours de-veining spinach and then dash off to the gym before collapsing into bed. That does not sound like fun to me.

Rolling down hills with my kids, now that’s fun. Slurping ice-creams after a long day playing in the sea? Yes, please!

The surprising thing is while you will never find a storybook heroine described as plain or maybe even “slightly overweight”, you don’t need to be perfect in order to find love. Your personality will always be more important than what you look like and there is someone out there who will love the way you laugh or enjoy your quick wit and sense of humour.

I’m actually relieved that I’ve never had the inclination or wallet to sustain weekly nail and eyelash extension sessions with monthly tanning booth and hair appointments. Real life isn’t what it’s made out to be on TV. Real people don’t go out for boozy lunches on a daily basis; they work and try to make a difference in the world. Most people struggle to find enough money for basic necessities yet the media seems to scream that you need MORE of everything.

Maybe it’s time we put the media in its place. R1500 for a pair of gumboots? You must be joking, right?

This article is a reader's response to Marisa Crous's newsletter, Why we should stop hating ourselves

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