DebR wrote a very thought provoking post yesterday. The issue she talks about in 1a and 1b is an issue that has plagued me since I was a child. Even now, with her writing fresh in my brain, I'm hesitant to say that I don't know why it's plagued me because I'm sure there are some people that would say, "well, duh, it's obvious why" and I really don't want to hear that, however true or untrue (they're laughing now) that might be.

Here's part of what she said:

Sorry to get wordy and preachy about this, but this is an issue that really bothers me - to hear people "hate, deny, and talk trash" about themselves. If you don't love yourself, how can you expect anyone else to love you? And if someone else does love you, and you put yourself down - your body, your mind, your talents, whatever - then you're essentially telling the people who love you that they have the bad taste and poor judgment to love trash. Is that really what you want to do?? I certainly hope not.

I certainly don't want to tell people that love me any of those things so...

Yesterday, I got my hair cut and as is my custom, I take pictures of it when I get home. The mirror, to me, isn't a friendly thing, but I must use it for the shots. Some of the pictures were blurry, or of the ceiling, or the top of my head, etc., but I got 5 that I really like, and that's saying a lot for me, because I NEVER like being in front of the camera.

Having said all that, I'm going to be brave and show you one of the shots.

Gak...this is hard...*swallows*

Ok, here 'tis.

I'm going to hide now!

You look beautiful Janet. The color is very nice and your glasses work really well on your face!

Lovely!

Janet..you are stunning! I wish I had your hair, the color is so beautiful and I am really digging that haircut! I just bought new eyeglasses...and strangely they look almost exactly like yours! My..what good taste we both have! LOL

=) What a beautiful gal with an equal beautiful person inside who's a great friend :)

You look gorgeous! I love your hair. You have a great smile, too. :)

yay!!! i'm so proud of you!

I think you should share all 5 of the photos you like because this one rocks! You look lovely!! YAY Janet, for being brave!!!

Love the cut, love the color. The glasses are great too. And the smile? Wow.

What's not to love? Just know that you're not alone in how you feel. It's tough to love and accept yourself 100% of the time, no matter who you are.

I have to say that I LOVE this hair color and cut on you! The glasses look wonderful with the new cut and color too!!! WOW! I'm glad you did share :)

Why, oh why should you want to hide? You look gorgeous girl! I love your haircut and I'll admit to being envious of your color. :-)

I think it's so hard for women especially to accept ourselves as we are, to love ourselves as we are. Society puts an unrealistic pressure to live up to some ideal in our mind that doesn't even exist.

I'll get off my soapbox now, but I want to say again that you look marvelous!

Good for you! You are beautiful and I must say that's a killer haircut :)

You rook mahvelous dahling! And I really mean that.

Didn't you love Billy Crystal when he did that skit?

No I really mean it. You do rook mahvelous!!

Way cool hair...I love it!
I've been debating cutting the down to my ass hair thwt spends its life up, due to the nature of my work, but i realise homw much self image is linked to our hair. odd isn't it?

You look radiant! You really are a beautiful person! :)

you really look fantastic!!!!!

(....may be next time a little cleavage....*wink*)

see? and the talent is never ending....to be able to take your OWN picture and have it come out good too!!!

I love that cut! You look fantastic, babe.

you look beautiful! I love the cut and color, reminds me that I have to get my bum to my hair chickie

"If you don't love yourself, how can you expect anyone else to love you?" I know that I'm my own worst critic, so that statement really hit home for me.

Yet when I saw your pict, I had a big grin plaster itself across my face. That cut is fantastic! The color looks great on you and Janet...love yourself, you're beautiful!

I'm plagued by the same "problem". I'm not brave enough to post my own pic yet. I look very much like my younger sister, but she's photogenic and I'm not. Unfair.

i love that picture! it's a great shot, you look great and though you can't tell from the picture, you smell real good too!

What a fantastic cut (but then again you always have great hair anyways) You look really beautiful :) As soon as my hair freakin grows, I would love to get this cut.

Are you kidding me? You are absolutely beautiful! I LOVE the cut... :)
Good for you to share....You should be proud of yourself!

You look great!! I love your new haircut!

Oh this looks so beautiful! I love it! I am not really happy with my last cut. I am going through that awkward growing out place. Just have to suck it up for another month! But you look great!

That's the best haircut and color I think yet. Such a beauty.

That's a great cut and color! Now I know who to look for tomorrow, eh? :D

OMG that color looks fantastic on you and the cut frames your face perfectly. So sassy wait till Ned sees you tomorrow!

What a spiffy haircut! I like the color too.

(hello, Janet. :))

cool, a janet picture! love the color and what everybody else said...:)

What a great picture, I love the style of the cut, it really frames your face!

BUT YOU'RE SO CUTE!!!!!!

I don't see why you'd be camera-shy at all!