What's in a face?

I recently saw a TED talk from Cameron Russell about image and looks (click here to see it), and the impact that they have on us as a society – particularly how we judge people, what desires they fuel and the reality that they mask.  It makes for brilliant viewing with a message delivered form the heart and a wake up call for those of us who really do judge a book by it’s cover – Cameron is a stunning Victoria Secret model.

It got me to thinking…what happens to our lives when we let image dictate our opinions?  When we buy a beauty product, item of clothing or magazine we’re generally buying a lifestyle and particularly with the latter we’re buying something that isn’t reality in a lot of ways.  It’s leading to impressionable minds be conditioned to thinking that outside beauty is best – be it your face, house, car or clothes. 

I’m sharing Cameron’s message with as many people as I can (and will listen) – it’s so powerful and has really made me question…what can I do differently? Give it a watch (it’s only about 8 minutes) and then ask yourself the same question – let me know your plans!

Happy watching x

Is it worth it?

In a world where we’re trying to do more with less, times can get tough and somewhat draining. Looking around and indulging in my favourite past time (people watching) has opened my eyes to how it’s starting to affect people (good and bad) and is making me ask some questions…prompting this blog post!

Find an environment where you do your best thinking and answer the following questions…
• Do you ever find yourself feeling exhausted?
• Do you strive for 100% perfection for yourself and those around you?
• Do you like to have the final say?
• Do you find yourself correcting people’s approach even if they get the same outcome?

For a long time I was guilty of the last two – the former particularly as a teenager and the latter as I started to line manage other people. I’m still swamped by the ‘perfection’ point, but learning to deal with it and knowing when to back away has been a very enlightening journey! So, now is the time to ask yourself…is it worth it?

I’m not talking about throwing in the towel and becoming a recluse or ignoring the world around you, but taking a step back and evaluating if you’re sweating the small as well as the big stuff can help you to take stock and direct your energy to the right stuff.

Someone close to me recently read ‘What got you here won’t get you there’ and came away quoting ‘is it worth it’ as a thought to use whenever he is faced with a challenging situation or applies it to times when he should really back off and say nothing rather than having to have the final word. It’s now nothing short of a way of life for him.

So the next time you find yourself in a pickle over something seemingly stressful, or you’re rushing in to talk about something you don’t need to add to, or you’re about to critique somebody because they aren’t your carbon copy please ask yourself…is it worth it?