Is this something you ever think or say about yourself?

Try it…say “I. Feel. Pretty.” How did that feel? Like an assignment? Fake? Not true?

Try it again. Say “I feel pretty.” Did it feel less fake? 

Some people easily say and believe they are pretty. Good for them! I would rather be near someone that feels super confident about themselves than see someone with low self esteem. Nobody likes to be around someone that is self absorbed and arrogant about their looks but do you get what I am saying? It’s hard to boost someone’s self esteem when they truly have formed their beliefs about how inadequate they are. 

This blog topic was spurred on by my visit to Publix on a Friday afternoon. I had not rented a Redbox movie in a long time. I slowed my buggy down to see what new movies I had been missing out on. I had a couple of hours before my family was going to be home so I decided to enjoy some much needed self care time and get a chick flick, along with another family movie. I popped the movie “I Feel Pretty” into the DVD player. The featured actress is Amy Schumer. I think she is funny but I also have seen her in movies where I wish I could edit a lot of the language and tone down the crud humor and nudity. I was aware that I really knew nothing about this movie other than I think she hits her head and wakes up believing she is beautiful. 

I was hoping it was not raunchy and thankfully it was not too bad. The movie is PG-13 and there may have been a few cuss words but I don’t really recall. I ended up pausing the play button many times due to various interruptions. I am not reviewing this film so give me some wiggle room on my recollection of the movie. There was no nudity (maybe a hint of it a couple of times). I don’t want to analyze this movie at all but what I was left with were thoughts on the power of our thoughts. 

Amy’s character, Renee, must feel she is a plus sized gal (although she is comparing herself to super skinny models).  When she hits her head in a funny scene at a gym, she then sees herself as the most beautiful woman in the world. The viewer does not get to see her view of herself (and neither do the other characters) but the transformation in her words and actions are incredible. She walks around – or sashays around – with her own soundtrack playing in her head. She is confident, encouraging to others and her energy is expansive. It made me happy to see her making positive assumptions about the actions of others. I won’t give away any scenes in the movie but I think it is worth watching. 

At the end of the movie Renee realizes that there weren’t really any physical changes but that her entire transformation was based on what she thought she was seeing in her body. She thought she was pretty and then she acted pretty. When that time period was over, she thought she was ugly and she retreated back into her shell of low self esteem. It was so sad to watch. She ends up giving an encouraging speech at the end and I should have written down what she said but it was supper time and I had to turn it off. 

What I was left with was a feeling of joy. Whatever you look like to others, whatever you don’t like about your face or your body – don’t focus on it. Act like you are a model and your brain will begin to form new neural pathways and you may begin to believe you are pretty! Others will see that confidence and they may relish in your positive vibes and words to them, which may transform how they feel. Our thoughts are so powerful. If your thoughts are dragging you down today then get to a mirror and tell yourself, “I feel pretty.”! Then go out and live your life because not matter what, you are wonderfully and beautifully made.