It’s happened to all of us: we see an unflattering photo of ourselves and instantly internalize those negative feelings. I’m here to remind you that a photo does not define who you are as a person or your self-worth. While this is easier said than put into practice, below are my tips for implementing self-love and positive thoughts when faced with a photo that triggers negativity:
Remember that we all have unphotogenic days, even the most photogenic among us
It’s normal to have days where you don’t feel like the camera loves you. Find solace in the fact that this happens to everyone, even influencers. Try taking a break and putting the iPhone down. Also remember that if you’re out with your friends and don’t like the way you look in any of the pictures, the fun and memories still happened without an Instagram post to memorialize it. My blog next month will feature tips for looking your best in photos, including how being photogenic starts from how you feel inside.
Know that how you’re used to looking at yourself in the mirror is always going to be a little different from how you look in photos…because science!
Do you ever feel like your mirror-self and your photo-self are two completely different people? There’s a reason for that: Aside from being flipped on the horizontal axis, when you look at yourself in the mirror you are able to adjust, even subconsciously, to look at yourself at the best angle. You don’t have this advantage when a photo is snapped of you and sometimes the camera catches an angle you don’t like. Keep in mind that even the best of us have better and worse angles of our face. Absolutely no one is completely symmetrical and that’s okay!
Say it with me: this was just one second (or snap) in time
Don’t let a bad photo ruin your day! Try to let your reaction to the photo be as brief as the moment it captured. If an unflattering photo of yourself is bothering you, try to focus on a goal unrelated to appearance. We’re always evolving, changing and making improvements in our lives and there will be other days and other photos of yourself that will make you feel as amazing as you are!
Give yourself props for non-physical traits and accomplishments because you are more than that one bad photo
While an unflattering photo can temporarily rock your self-esteem, remind yourself about what makes you incredible outside of aesthetics. A photo doesn’t do all the amazing traits you possess justice! A photo can’t completely communicate who you are as a person, whether you are a compassionate friend, a dedicated social servant in your community, or a whip-smart personality who makes everyone in your life laugh until they can’t breathe. Remind yourself even of tiny things that make you feel good about yourself, whether it’s something you do really well or a new accomplishment you achieved, no matter how small. I could go on and on about how amazing you are, so why can’t you?
Don’t compare photos of yourself to photos of others
It can be extremely difficult, actually nearly impossible, to not compare photos of yourself to the photos that others are posting of themselves on social media. Try to keep in mind that the perfect images you see on instagram are highly staged, edited and perfected to look aspirational – it doesn’t just happen by chance and on the first snap. For more on this,check out my August blog post on how to kick the comparison habit!
What do you do to give your self-esteem a needed boost when you start criticizing your photos?
Courtney Byers- A Byers Guide Blog says
I love this message so much!
Kelly says
Thanks Courtney I’m so happy to hear that 🙂