Every now and then, I feel the urge to get plastic surgery. It usually presents itself after I’ve been standing in line at the grocery store, or see myself in the mirror and get hit by a GREAT BIG HUGE little snowball of insecurity that yells “you’re aging! you’re aging! Look at those laugh lines, and your nose keeps getting bigger!” I know I probably shouldn’t concern myself with such things because I am in my 30’s and that is still relatively young to many. I don’t know if its a societal pressure thing, a crappy self-esteem thing, or both, but sometimes I just feel irrationally plagued with the fear that aging is not a cool thing to do…especially when I am looking at magazine covers of Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston.
Grocery store line thought:
“Oh my gosh! I do not look like them…I must get plastic surgery, STAT!”
If I’ve been standing in line at the grocery store for a particularly long time, my brain starts to think there are only a couple of things I could do that might be more socially unacceptable than aging…
This would not be socially acceptable
But then other times, I’m not so sure …
The not so surgery urge-ry part of me thinks: Cosmetic surgery does not always have the most favorable outcome…
before and after unfavorable outcome…
Trends in beauty change over time…
And vary across cultures…
So who’s to say what’s hot and what’s not? You can decide what’s beautiful for yourself.
Despite the pressures I sometimes put on myself to look a certain way, I think it’s true that in some strange magically weird way, beauty does come from within. So, I embrace my emerging laugh lines and my growing nose. I embrace them and love them … until the next time I go to the grocery store or get smacked in the face with a snowball of insecurity. If that happens, I’ll come back and read this.
Lucky Wreck 
Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Don’t look for imperfections but enjoy the great things about you!
LikeLike
Great quote Jonathan! And, great point! I am starting to think that sometimes, “imperfections” aren’t really “imperfections”, they are just differences and changes…all with their own beauty. I am turning sappy! 😀
LikeLike
You are not turning sappy, along with physical changes as you get older you will get a bit wiser. (at least that is the hope). I think that enjoying the little things and life and about ourselves that makes life a much better experience. I mean you could look continually at what you don’t like, or focus on what you do like. That choice is up to you. I think as I get older I am focusing on the good stuff. Have a great day! 🙂
LikeLike
I’m too scared of anesthesia side effects to risk an elective surgery. Judging by that one woman’s outcome, apparently that’s just as well…
LikeLike
I know! I think it is just as well 🙂 I have thought about what would happen if something went wrong, too…like a bad haircut, only it probably wouldn’t grow out…
LikeLike
The next time you go shopping, I recommend the grocery lines at Walmart. There is nothing better for your self esteem than shallowly comparing yourself to other people at your local Walmart. Five seconds in that store and you walk out feeling like a supermodel.
LikeLike
HAhaaha! I forgot about how interestingly attired some Walmart shoppers can be. I may have to try that…A good dose of internal shallow comparison compliments of Walmart 😀
LikeLike
Okay. Here is a little poem I wrote when I was ten:
Some people think that they’re too fat; some think that they’re too thin.
I think that they should be content with the way that God made them. 🙂
People come in all shapes and sizes. It would be a boring world if we all looked and thought alike. That you can openly share your insecurities is proof that you are not only beautiful on the outside, but even more beautiful on the inside!
LikeLike
What a nice thing to say! Thank you! Did you remember that poem all this time?
LikeLike
Oh, my friend, I feel you. I turned 30 this year and find myself suddenly obsessed with the little crinkle marks around my eyes. I’m sure they were there a couple of months ago when I was 29 too, but now that I’m officially “in my 30s” I feel like all those tabloids in the grocery store checkout line are talking directly to ME! ACK!!
… I usually copy by eating some chocolate until the feeling passes 🙂
LikeLike
Hahaa! Chocolate IS a cure-all! 😀
Sometimes I wonder if it is all the advertising that makes us think we need to be a certain way…and I should just rebel and take the approach: “Wrinkles are bomb! Dammit!”, or if I should do everything in my power to avoid them. Its confusing…I need some chocolate! 😀
LikeLike
This was beautiful, ugly, funny, scary and just plain fun!
LikeLike
Thank you, Hook! I always appreciate your comments 🙂 They often encourage me to look at my own writing from a new lens!
LikeLike
Love this post. I had plastic surgery, a breast reduction, back in my 20’s. SO glad I did.
I say do what you wanna do to make yourself feel the best you can, no matter what anybody else says. Wanna grow super long fingernails? DO IT. Always wanted purple hair? HAVE AT IT. As long as you’re not hurting another person, go crazy.
LikeLike
I agree! Whatever makes you feel the best you can is the most important thing. So glad to have your input, Amy! 🙂
LikeLike
I am terrified of plastic surgery. I get hit by the occasional snowball of insecurity too, but then I think of what that might feel like AFTER I’ve paid thousands to get a bad nose job. Then everything is much better 🙂
LikeLike
The financial aspect of it probably scares me more than anything! For some reason, I keep comparing it to a haircut…bad hair day vs. bad nose day.
LikeLike
I used to feel the same way, Lucky. I’m an avid reader of my “trash magazines” (People, Us, and especially, the Enquirer- it’s true!) and when I was in my 30’s, I would “compare and cry”, etc. I’ve noticed over the years, that although those people appear to be happy (and appear is the key word) 😉 many of them stay pumped up on drugs and alcohol just to be able to “live”, or make it through their multi-million dollar days. They almost never settle for just one plastic-surgical alteration, because they soon find that the outside augmentation can never truly tweak their inside deprivation. I’m 43 now, (people think I’m in my 20’s ?!) but I’m now at the place that I can embrace every puffy area, or line on my face. There aren’t many yet, but then again, I’m a photoshop artist- haha…. Beauty does shine from inside- you’re right. ♥
LikeLike
Thanks monochrome junkie! I know what you mean. I can tell that if I started, I wouldn’t be able to settle for just one surgical alteration. The more I think about it, the more I’m realizing that embracing every aspect of yourself makes all the difference 🙂 I often feel that it might be easier to embrace all aspects of me if I could fix them up, but since I have all those student loans (heeheehe), I will learn to embrace me as I am now 😀
Always love what you have to say monochromejunkie! ❤
LikeLike
I’ve come to the conclusion that everyone has at least one beautiful thing about them, and I’m not just talking about a “sweet personality”. Though I’m hyper critical of myself, I try to find at least one thing I can like about me for the day. It’s not always easy.
… that pic of the blond with the huge lips; I was at the doctors in West Palm Beach several years ago when a lady who’s body screamed “80!”, while her plastic surgery screamed “20!” walked in the door. I had just gotten off of work (blue collar) and looked a mess. Looking at the rag mags in the waiting room I started to feel I was less than lovely. A total loser in life. When I saw her something clicked, and that’s when I started the one thing a day routine. She looked exactly like that lady in the picture. I feel so sad for her. It looks painful. Life is hard enough without having to put myself through that.
LikeLike
Absolutely love this! Everyone really DOES have something beautiful…I really really love the one thing a day routine…what a great idea. Have you noticed any changes in how you feel since you started the routine?
Thank you for your input ravanloon 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve never had the urge, groceery shop line or not! It’s just too expensive to be wasting money on appearances.
But I love your article – the pictures ESPECIALLY 🙂
LikeLike
Hahaa! Thank you Words! I really appreciate that coming from all frames of mind! Urgers or not! 😀 I appreciate your thoughts!
LikeLike
PS that long neck ‘beauty’, it plain old scares me.
LikeLike
I know! I wonder if it affects their health at all? I would be afraid that if I took the rings off, my head would topple off…
LikeLike
Don’t do it, Lucky Wreck. You are wonderful as you are. Good post. Makes us think.
LikeLike
Thank you blog turtle! I really appreciate that 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks for not getting plastic surgery. I couldn’t take the lips. or the neck or the tongue.
LikeLike
HAhaa! Thanks for appreciating the not so surgery urger-y part, Ben! 🙂
LikeLike
I don’t know…I think a long neck on a female could be beneficial for…Well, maybe this isn’t the right place for a deep throat joke. Aw, but I stuck it in there anyway. How devilish of me!
Botox is the one I cannot understand. While a platypus may be adorable, I do not like the characteristics transferred over to a human being. Not as adorable.
LikeLike
BHAHAAa!! How devilishly daring of you! I appreciate your comment! 😀
LikeLike
I’ve seen too many bad surgeries on TV.
LikeLike
I’m 31, and the wrinkle in my forehead makes me want plastic surgery. Is there surgery for gray hair too?
LikeLike
HAhaha! I think there might be hair color re-assignment surgery… 😀
LikeLike
Oh, and I just saw that this post was tagged AMYgdala-la-la-land … that’s something a guy whose avatar features him carrying a brain should appreciate… and I do. Have an enchanted Friday!
LikeLike
Thank you for appreciating my love for brains and goofiness 🙂 I was just thinking that someone who tags her posts AMYgdala-la-la-land should appreciate a guy whose avatar features him carrying a brain. And I soooooo do! Have a wonderful Friday!
LikeLike