What do you love/hate about yourself?

[catnapper]

Kim's thread about being overweight made me realize two things: One, we all have something about ourselves that we hate. Two, we often overlook the good things about ourselves.

For instance, yes, my weight is a huge issue in my life. Sometimes its more an issue for others (ie: my ex-boss who felt it his duty to belittle me about my weight on a daily basis.) I know I'm heavy, but I dress appropriately for my size, so they can get over it!

But believe it or not, there's a bigger issue that bothers me more! YES, more than being 200+ pounds! I have always been rather (ahem) hairy. I'm 31 and ALREADY going through peri-menopause (yeah, too much info, but its relevant, I swear!) Since the hormones are dying down, so to speak, I've been getting increasingly hairier. My face has been hit the hardest. Pluck, pluck, tweeze, tweeze I can't keep up with it! I HATE it! I'm too chicken to go for laser hair removal - I heard it hurts!

Now, I look at myself with that overly critical eye, but I see lots of good in me. I see (despite the weight) skinny ankles and shapely calves. My feet can wear any sexy strappy sandal without looking gross. I love my white perfectly straight teeth that came naturally - no braces! And I love my hands. there's nothing special about them. No "hand modeling" jobs for me! But I love my hands. They help me create beautiful things and I recognise the beauty they can create - not the beauty they themsleves are.

OK, what do you love and then what do you hate about yourself. I spilled my guts, now your turn!!!

[G.P.girl]

oh, this is a nice thread! but do you mean things on the outside or on the inside...or both?

on the outside:
i hate: my thighs, my stomache, my nose, my eye and my hair. plus i think i wiegh alittle too much, but that's not a big deal. i always hated my butt, i thought it was huge, until recently some of my guy friends told me to shut up and stop whining about it and that guys like big butts, so i should be happy...lol
i love: i love my abs, and i like my calves which have pretty muscles on tthem from running, and i guess i like my over all figure, not too curvy every where, but not stick-straight-flat-as-a-board everywhere

on the inside:
I hate: my stubborness, i am sooo stubborn, and sometimes i can't even help it, but if i feel like someone is trying to make me do something or boss me around who shouldn't, just sit there and don't do anything..it's kinda hard to explain. i also hate how i can't stay mad at people, when i get in to fights with people, i get really pissed off and sulk for about 30 min, then i'm just my usually happy hyper active self. and sometimes this really annoys me because i want to be mad at the person but i can't be.
I love: i'll finish this later, or else i'll be late for school

[CatMama78]

I'm hairy too! Lol! I'm part Mexican so I have a lot of hair on my arms and its dark too. I use to bleach them cause people gave me a hard time, but then they would give me a hard time about having light hair on my arms when my hair is practically black . You can never win, huh? Anyways, now I'll admit I trim the hairs so they look not as hairy and I've learned to accept it. Of couse I have to wax and pluck away at my face. But oh well.

I think the part I do not like about myself the most is my weight, folllowed by how shy I am.

What I do like about myself is my ability to love animals unconditionally. I also think I have a pretty darn good sense of humor, well its unique. Physically, I have fantastic hair, if I do say so myself. It's naturally curly.

[binka_nugget]

I HATE it! I'm too chicken to go for laser hair removal - I heard it hurts!

My mom had laser hair removal done and said it didn't hurt much. She said it felt like a rubber band snapping for a second. She was even trying to convince me to get it done.

I hate my weight. I think it's way too much for someone of my age and height. Personality-wise, I hate my sarcastic nature. I just can't help it!

I love my musical talent. I taught myself how to play piano in grade 8 and have been playing ever since. I also play sax, sing and am trying to learn the guitar. Also, up until recently, I loved my eyesight. I did everything wrong. I sat right in front of the tv, I keep my head right in front of the monitor all day, etc, etc. But I guess it finally caught up with me.

[RobiLee]

Wow, all these questions are really making me think. So personal also. We are really getting to know each other....lol.

Ok, lets start with the negative. Like most of you...I hate my weight. It stops me from doing some of the things I would love to do. I hate my skin...I wish I had nice pretty smooth skin. I hate my hair. At one time I thought my hair was one of my best assests but that has changed it is now very thin and dry and has no style. No matter how I get it cut it just doesn't work. Since some of the rest of you are being bold and talking about facial hair. I have problems with that also. I have never ever spoken about it to anyone. It started on my chin and yes I made the dreadful mistake of shaving my chin so now I have only made the problem worse. God, I can't believe I'm talking about this. This is my most embarrassing thing. The rest of my body is very light haired which I think has also come with age because I use to have hairy arms. Light colored hair, but very hairy. I could probably go a week without shaving my legs and you wouldn't even notice it. My girlfriend hates that about me....lol. Anyway if anyone has pointers about laser hair removal for the chin area or waxing I would love to hear all about it. I do wax my eyebrows but I'm too embarrassed to even mention my chin hair problem and I know I will regret posting this. One more hate about myself. I am not very smart and I am slow witted. If someone goes to tell me a joke I cringe because a lot of time I don't get it til later on..hehehe...maybe that is the blonde coming out in me. My biggest hate about me....I AM LAZY!!!

Hmmmm...what can I say that I like about myself...lol...that is so much harder....lol. The first and probably only thing that will pop into my head is that I have pretty blue eyes. I am always told this. This I would say has to be my best feature. When I am thinner you should see them than, they really "pop". I guess because my face is thinner and you can see them better. I can not think of any other likes and this makes me sad. Why is it always so much easier to point out the negative about ourselves. I am told that I am nice and friendly. I guess this is true but this is something that I have to work so hard at because in person I am quite shy. I would say that this has only come out in maybe the last 8 years or so and alot more recently since I was sick and don't worry so much about that kind of stuff now. In my yearly evaluations at work (raise time) my boss always says I have a great personality and seem to be able to work and get along with everyone. This just kills me....lol...I never think of myself as that. One year he actually said "Shining Personanlity". I almost died....hehehehe.

Its true...the bad stuff is easier to believe! *sigh*

Robin

[MammaMangorin]

I hate that i im realy bad at english...
I hate my hair, my whole dna
Or not i love my eyes
(they are orange to but the pic dont view that)

[sirrahbed]

Wow, we ARE spilling guts around here! I tend to be so negative about myself so I am going to really stretch and be positive...later! I hate that I am overweight and tend to be lazy. I hate that I am negative I also hate that I get depressed and get my feeling hurt
Ok, now I am positive Believe it or not, I have a flat belly and small waist!! No kidding! It is hidden under big boobs and above a big rear and hips I also have small hands. My face is also smooth with a nice complexion. Missy and I have been blessed with that I think. I am often told I look younger than almost 50. I think that is probably true. Missy tells me that too
I think I am also a good friend to people and I am loyal and compassionate. I don't have a large circle of friends but I love and keep the ones I have. How's that?

[sirrahved]

I hate: My weight, my tummy especially, my insecurities with people/new things.

I have lots of body hair, too, but I don't necessarily hate it. It's easily taken care of

I like... my eye color my singing voice, and my middle toe on my left foot. It has the cutest freckle on it. Jason and I both agree that it is my cutest toe by far.

Is that better?

[DJFyrewolf36]

Hrm...I hate being shy. I would much rather have an easy time of dealing with people because my shyness is usually interpreted as me being an aloof @$$ and Im really not! Im just shy, dang it. I hate not being able to communicate this to people too...thats why I love PT, cause I don't have to talk lol! I hate also that I turn mute sometimes, I just CANNOT talk! I want to but it just doesn't work.

I love being me. Honestly dispite my darker sides, I think I'm really neat lol. I'm really really good at making people laugh and feel better and that is rewarding. I love my eyes, everyone tells me that that is my best physical feature *other than my chest , some people...* I love my talent for writing. I love my ability to NEVER get bored. I can be entertained by staring at the walls lol.

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by RobiLee
If someone goes to tell me a joke I cringe because a lot of time I don't get it til later on..hehehe...maybe that is the blonde coming out in me. My biggest hate about me....I AM LAZY!!!

Why is it always so much easier to point out the negative about ourselves. I am told that I am nice and friendly.
Its true...the bad stuff is easier to believe! *sigh*

Robin

Had to comment Robin because of all the people who post - I always think your personality comes across as somebody I would LIKE I can also tell by the way other people talk about you, that you are very well liked as well. So, chew on that Your boss is probably right

I also had to laugh about the jokes!! OMG - I NEVER get jokes!!! I do literally cringe when somebody starts to tell a joke because I HARDLY EVER GET IT!!! so I usually just roll my eyes and people can think I thought it was a dumb joke or laugh at my blondeness

[catlover4ever]

OK here goes

NEGATIVES

Some days I hate the way I look and on other days I like the way I look. I'm 5'5" and weight 250 lbs. I'm not shy about my age or my weight. I KNOW I'm a heavy person. I have tried everything to loose weight and it just does not happen for me. It's not that I'm lazy because I swim laps and walk everyday.

I don't think that I'm pretty. My nose is wide and my eyes have almost no lid to them...which makes my face look like it is tired all the time. My face is horribly old looking.

I don't like that I have a really bad temper but I am very proud of myself as the years have gone by my temper has simmered down quite a bit.

I hate the fact that my moods can turn on a dime. One minute I'm up and the next thing I know I feel like I could just beat the crap out of someone. I am very lucky however that I know this is a problem for me and I have taken the steps needed to help with with this problem.



POSITIVES

I love the fact, that like Catnapper, my teeth are perfectly straight without having to have had braces.

I love that Mark can look into my eyes and not know what color they are going to be today because they change color with my moods. If I cry the turn the greenest green I have ever seen. If I'm stinking mad....they turn so brown that you almost can not see the pupil of my eye.

I'm happy that I got the opportunity to follow my dreams. I went to college and received my degree and immediately received a job offer to be a Flight Attendant with a small regional company in the northeast. I flew professionally for 4 years before leaving to pursue other career options. Now I work in a hospital as a Secretary and I am so proud of the work that I do there.

I am PROUD that I am able to hold my own with the "boys" I can work right along side of the best of them. If a tree needs to come down I can take the chain saw and do it myself. If the lawn needs to be mowed I can do it. I can take the snow blower in the winter and have the driveway cleared before Mark gets home and that way he does not have to do it after being held over at work.

I am happy that my family looks to me for advice...erevything from their cats to how to handle a family situation.

I am proud of myself that I always try to see both sides of the story. I have been told that I am a great mediator...but it really does stress me out sometimes.

[CamCamPup33]

Alright here it goes!

I hate-

Im really tall for my age. At 14, most of the kids that i know are like 5'4 or something, but me, nope, im 5'7. And growing.. I hate being so tall. Although many people told me not to look at it as a disadvantage, i just can't help it.

I hate being skinny. I wish i was normal weight. I weigh 107 pounds, right now. I should weigh alot more than i do, because all i eat is JUNK.

My butt. I don't have a big butt. I barely have a butt at all. I always was made fun of in Elementary school for not having one.

My body all together, im too skinny!! I always get told i need to eat more. Alot of people tell me i could be a model. Which is nice to hear

I love-

My eyes.They are like a Bluish green color and when i am crying they are a stone blue.

My hair! I love the color and the way it's cut. I will never ever dye my hair. lol

My stomach, i like how it's nice and flat, and i still have a curve, but if i was a little fatter, i would be happy.

[K9soul]

Negatives... I think the thing I hate most about myself is my tendency to worry, fret and work myself up over things. I've suffered from anxiety as long as I can remember. I worry about being worried, I swear. If I could just change one single thing about myself it would be that. I sometimes have to just lay and count each breath at night in order to get my mind off things and relax to sleep.

I tend to be hard on myself and self-critical. For physical attributes, I have always hated my front teeth, they seem too large for my mouth and are slightly crooked. I'm conscious of it whenever I smile. I also wish my skin wasn't so pale and clammy looking

For positives, I like my sensitivity and my ability to empathize. I sometimes rue my sensitivity as it can be a hardship as well, but I also think it is a gift that helps me relate and understand others and the world around me differently. I love my ability to reach animals and how they are often drawn to me. I have also noticed very young children are often drawn to me too, although I don't often coo and make as big a fuss over them as some of the rest of the family does. I like my creativity and depth of thought, and that when I work on projects, doing it to the best of my ability is very important to me.

I'm sure there are more things on both the like and dislike sides of things, but those are the main ones that come to mind at the moment.

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by catnapper


But believe it or not, there's a bigger issue that bothers me more! YES, more than being 200+ pounds! I have always been rather (ahem) hairy. I'm 31 and ALREADY going through peri-menopause (yeah, too much info, but its relevant, I swear!) Since the hormones are dying down, so to speak, I've been getting increasingly hairier. My face has been hit the hardest. Pluck, pluck, tweeze, tweeze I can't keep up with it! I HATE it! I'm too chicken to go for laser hair removal - I heard it hurts!

Its at times like these when I'm grateful the majority on this website are women, because I feel so much more comfortable talking about such things.

I just had to respond to this, because I am..or *was* hairy too, and I have gotten the laser hair removal done. I swear that is by far, the BEST thing I have done in my life. My skin is very sensitive, so waxing just wasn't for me. I would get bruises on my face. It was PAINFUL. I was sick of using bleach creams. I was sick of tweezing, and I want to tell you, tweezing/plucking is the WORST thing you can do when you want to remove unwanted hair. Tweezing makes the hair grow thicker every time, so if you are tweezing *fine* hair, it will eventually grow thicker, or it will become ingrown, which is even worse. I used to get pimples from doing that, and I thought I had acne. WRONG. I didn't.........it was just the way I was removing hair, and once I got this laser treatment done, the hair is gone, the acne is gone, and I don't have to stand in front of the mirror waxing/plucking/whatever anymore. My skin is so clear now, and my friends keep asking me what I did. I just smile and say nothing. I haven't told them about this.

I would advise you to get it done. Is it painful? Well I can't say *not at all*, but when you compare it to the pain caused by waxing, tweezing, and other everyday hair removal techniques, the pain is almost NOTHING. Really. The only place it hurts is on the upper lip, and that pain only lasts for a few seconds. The rest of the face doesn't hurt at all. Flick your finger against your face. That's what it feels like. It does not cause any sort of pain you can't bear, and it is totally, 100% WORTH IT. If this is something that bothers you, get it done. I'm grateful to my parents for convincing me to get it done (I too, was a chicken), because this has only bothered me for a few years. I was not *hairy* before puberty. I am still young, and already got it done, so hopefully, it isn't something that I will have to deal with in life. Its now a thing of the past. I'm not done with the treatment..........I still have to go several times, but MOST of the hair is gone. I actually have another appointment there tomorrow. Yippee....torture day. Just kidding. I'm looking forward to it. To get the laser treatment done was a blessing in my life. Waxing and bothering with unwanted hair was something I did not like, and now, its just something I don't have to deal with anymore. And trust me, the pain is nothing to be afraid of. Its really not painful at all.

And remember.......people who have *more hair* also have beautiful thick hair on their heads, which most *non-hairy* people don't have. I would rather have nice hair on my head and have to get laser treatment for the unwanted hair, than to have thin, fine hair that there would be no way of thickening. When God has provided us with a way to deal with this problem permanently now, why go through the torture of waxing and tweezing every time?

I can't believe I'm posting this, but because you mentioned it, I felt I should post about it, as it is something I have experienced, and something you could benefit from too.

[catnapper]

Wow... lots of different gripes, but I must say, that all of you are wonderful people in my book!

Deb, I have always been quite hairy. I remember in second grade telling my mom that I wqnted to cut it off my arms. lol. I remember sitting and watching grandmom plucking chin hair and her telling me that I'd do it too when I got older. Boy was she right!!! Its just since things have been "changing" that my beard has started to blossom! Sigh, someday I can convince my insurance company that hair removal is esential for my emotional wellbeing!

Thank you for your honesty! It helps that we know where everyone is coming from and fosters a more postive community where we accept each other for our virtues and are sensitve to our negatives.