Picture Perfect. Or Not.

MomGrind posts a visual and stimulating post on "Women Who Say No to Photoshopping" that I think every lady or man needs to take a look at - if only to ask yourself the honest question:

Would I ever say "Yes" to Photoshopping my own image?

This question brings up a lot of hidden, ugly wants, needs, and desires. I mean (secretly) don't we all want to "look" like the girls in the magazines? Don't we all (secretly) want to be picture perfect? Because (secretly) with perfection comes sustainable happiness, confidence, money, fame and true love!! Or at least that is what Cosmo tells me.

So, ask yourself again - if given the choice, would I ever say "yes" to Photoshop? But then ask yourself - why would I ever want to promote a distorted version of my true self? Why would I ever want to contribute the unattainable beauty goals that cause women to suffer insecurities, eating disorders and lack of confidence every day?

I've certainly fallen victim in the past trying to reach these unattainable goals of beauty. And I can tell you - the pursuit of physical perfection is far more damaging in the long run than any short term beauty ambition.

Generally speaking, MomGrind does a decent job of addressing the various levels of body dysmorphic disorder that plagues our society and helps us remember that in the end, the perfection we should all be looking for is inside.

If we spent as much time worrying about whether or not we are good people, good friends, kind neighbors and true to our inner spirit - as we do on what we look like - we might actually discover that being beautiful on the inside will go a lot farther than any Photoshopping.

In the end - you can Photoshop an image, but you can't Photoshop authenticity.