Originally posted on Twenty-Three

Here’s what I woke up thinking about this morning:

"Weakness" is a synonym for "flaw." Today my face is broken out on my forehead and chin and I have dark circles under my eyes. Are these "flaws" signs of "weakness"? Am I weak for working as hard as possible these last few weeks leading up to my graduation from university? Is my body weak from trying to deal with the way I’ve been treating it - not enough sleep, eating processed food since I’m so busy I haven’t had time to go grocery shopping?

My body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to - my body is releasing toxins in the form of acne, my  body is miraculously healing itself from the destruction my lifestyle is causing it.

Why is it that our society has turned acne into a terrible and disgusting thing? Acne is incredible. It’s necessary. And yet when someone gets a pimple, they cover it up with a skin-colored paint that only suppresses the toxins the body is trying to release and interferes with the healing process. I am guilty of often doing this myself.

But even worse, we are covering up the real problem - the way we judge ourselves and others for our bodies working perfectly. Instead of critiquing our bodies, we should be critiquing our lifestyles. If I don’t wear makeup and leave these black circles under my eyes exposed, when my professors notice my appearance and comment with “woah are you okay? You look really sick,” we should be thinking critically about this overworked lifestyle that has been forced upon me, and the chemical-filled “food” that is being sold to me and put in my body, and see my acne and under-eye circles as a sign that the way we live needs to change. I don’t need to change. Nothing is “wrong” with the way my body is reacting to sleepless nights and a lack of green vegetables.

The concept of “flaws” insists that there is one way my body should be and any other way is a problem. “Embracing your flaws” only gets you so far. It’s a start, but it’s not the solution. Just the notion of being “flawless” suggests that it is still possible for there to be something wrong with you. But nothing is wrong with you!! Don’t you see? These dichotomies are tearing us apart within ourselves. Flawed, flawless. Thin, fat. Straight, gay. Black, white. Able, disabled. Man, woman. These things do not exist!!! We are perfect human beings. We are divine souls with the amazing opportunity to experience life in the physical form. Why do we condemn ourselves so often when we are perfectly, miraculously, beautifully divine?

Wake up to the spirit within you and Be Yourself To the Fullest. Be-you-ti-full. Embrace the divine within and focus on who you are, not what you look like. Focus on action and existence, not looks and appearance. When you are fully yourself from within, your lifestyle will reflect that. And as a result, your body will react by being completely and entirely beautiful.

It is unfortunate that I cannot currently live in a way that allows my body to experience optimal health, but with graduation around the corner, I will be able to make my health a priority. Until then, I choose to be happy and grateful for the amazing body I have been given, and that it is capable of withstanding the disillusioned state our society is currently experiencing.

Much Love,
Brenna Paxton
brennapaxton.com
twenty-three.me