Fancy on the inside?

An anonymous reader sent in this poignant post today. We all deserve to feel fancy on the inside…read more…

The holidays. Nearly ubiquitous with parties, potlucks, informal get-togethers, and, occasionally, a fancy catered affair where folks get decked out in their finest. This season was no exception as I dressed and got ready to attend such an event. After nearly an hour of hair and makeup and carefully selecting a dressy-but-not-too-dressy dress, I looked myself over in the mirror and thought, "Not bad!" and with that I headed out to meet up with friends and enjoy the evening. The event was beautifully and tastefully done and the attendees were dressed to match. Looking around at the women in the room I was struck by the tailored dresses, expertly coordinated jewelry, and perfectly coiffed hair … and I instantly felt like a little kid playing dress-up in her mother's clothes. Something about being around these incredibly beautiful, wealthy women had me feeling like an imposter. While my outward appearance was fancy enough to be acceptable at the event, I just didn't feel fancy enough on the inside. It's funny how sometimes we don't even need to have a mirror present to have our supposed personal "shortcomings" reflected back on us. Somehow, within an instant, my self-confidence had fallen and I'd gone from enjoying my evening to feeling awkward and out of place. I realized that comparing ourselves to others is such a powerful and self-defeating habit and one that has to stop if we really want to end negative self-talk and develop a positive self-image. Thankfully, I had great friends with me who, with their lively conversation and shared laughs, quickly reminded me why I was having so much fun in the first place and what was really important about that night. I can only hope that the next time I'm at the same kind of event I remember this lesson and can feel "fancy" in my own skin no matter how fantastically dressed anyone else is.