By Foteini Lioliou,
Have you ever wondered why certain people look at their reflection when they pass by a mirror? Is that a sign of narcissism? Or is it a sign of self-criticism? Is it beneficial to do some mirror gazing or not?
To start with, there are two categories of people. The ones who avoid looking at themselves when they have a mirror in front of them and the others who take a good look at their reflection. The research explained both of these categories in very simple terms.
If you belong in the first category, that is refraining from glaring at yourself in the mirror, it is mainly because you do not wish to see your flaws. It is undeniable that many people struggle with their insecurities especially when these stem from their physical appearance. As a consequence, they do not want to view their reflection since they think of it as flawed and imperfect. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. For instance, there are those who just do not care about their appearance or how they look and thus they do not view themselves in the mirror.
Those who belong to the second category are usually the people that spend some time looking at themselves in the mirror. And for them, there is a totally different theory.
To state this theory simply, those who are able to do mirror gazing have developed more self-confidence than those who are unable to see their mirror reflection. They are not necessarily narcissists but they are people with self-esteem. In other words, they are not at all afraid to see any imperfections in the mirror. Instead, they acknowledge their flaws and embrace them as much as they can. These brave hearts do not try to hide their insecurities. On the contrary, they have started a self-healing journey and they have managed to accept and love their imperfections and themselves.
This process of healing can happen through positive affirmations, not through criticism. To put it another way, when you see yourself in the mirror and you start saying good things about your imperfections and your perfections at the same time, you exercise this healing. You accept that there are parts of yourself that are not ideal but there are also parts of yourself that are outstanding. In this journey of healing, there is no room for criticism unless, of course, it is constructive. The most significant aspect of this journey is to say some good things about yourself such as “You have a beautiful smile” and “You have some incredible curves in your body that are worth loving”.
The strongest people are those who can see the negative side of themselves and still love that side. It may take a lot of effort and courage to embrace every single aspect of yourself, yet it is achievable. With a little patience and bravery, one can finally reach the point in which he or she would not have to take a deep look in the mirror because he or she will feel alright with themselves.
Mirror gazing is not just a glare at a mirror. It is the ability to uncover yourself in front of yourself. See the naked truth with your own eyes. See that there is nothing to conceal. At least not from yourself. It is the ability to accept and hug all parts of your face and body. It is the ability to gain confidence and support yourself. Lastly, it is the ability to become blissful and develop a healthy relationship with who you are. At the end of the day, it is all about who you are. Your soul is what matters the most.
References
- How looking at yourself in the mirror is important. hopequre.com. Available here
- Mirror gazing. healthline.com. Available here
