#self-image

[the-healing-mindset]

You. Yes, you. Being a person is hard. No really, it is. But you know what? You're doing it. And no matter how you feel about yourself or what you think about the job you are doing, just know that you are doing an excellent job. Because you're here. You're doing what matters most, which is continuing to go on despite the burdens you carry. Keep going. Keep being amazing.

[spiritualseeker777]

[blxck-rider]

Have some Astolfo muscle cause why not.

[stoicmike]

You will never see a photograph of yourself that looks like the self you imagine yourself to be. -- Michael Lipsey

[historicalbeauties]

[momentsbeforemass]

Change

Change is hard.

Changing you? That’s the hardest.

If you’ve ever tried to make a significant change in your life – whether it’s something physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual – you know this all too well.

We can throw up so many roadblocks to our own success. Often unwittingly. That we really have to focus on us, on what we’re doing in order to make any headway at all.

It’s critical to have that focus.

But it’s easy to get so focused on the work that we’re doing, that we don’t see the effect that the change in us is having on other people.

It’s a classic problem for people who are in recovery from an addiction. Or trying to get out of a life of crime. You can predict with horrible accuracy the success or failure of someone’s efforts by the response of the people around them.

The thing is, that dynamic isn’t just limited to obvious situations. That same dynamic – the impact of the people around you –applies to all types of positive change. Even the less obvious ones.

Why?

Because your attempt to change, your attempt to do better, to be better, to be healthy, to live up to the potential that God has given you? Will be a threat to some people.

There are people in your life right now (some of whom are surprisingly close to you) that define themselves in relation to you. And not in a good way. Not in the sense of “I’m so glad I know her.” Or “he’s such a good friend.”

But in the (often unspoken) sense of being in some way better than you. Part of their self-image is tied up in something they look down on you for. They make themselves feel better by laughing at some perceived fault or weakness in you.

And when you change that? You disrupt their entire world.

So don’t expect them to let that go without a fight.

BTW, that is exactly what Jesus is dealing with in today’s Gospel.

Jesus has started His public ministry. He’s preaching a message that rings true. He’s healing people.

You’d expect people to be really impressed, really excited. And some of them are.

But not everybody. Not the people who have defined themselves by looking down on Him as “the carpenter’s son.” As the stepbrother of James and the other sons of Joseph.

These are the people in Jesus’ life whose self-image is tied up in something they look down on Him for. In seeing themselves as better than Him.

When Jesus changes that? He’s disrupting their entire world. And they’re not letting that go without a fight.

What’s important for you and me? To see is how Jesus responds.

First, by what Jesus says, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place, and in his own house.” Which means?

Their negative reaction doesn’t negate what He’s doing.

Jesus is doing what God has called Him to do. And people whose self-image isn’t based on an unhealthy view of Jesus are (rightly) amazed to see the transformative power of God in action.

What Jesus is doing is valid. Their lack of approval doesn’t change that.

This is their problem. Not His.

And second, by what Jesus does. Jesus doesn’t argue with them. Jesus doesn’t try to convince them. And Jesus doesn’t stop what He’s doing so they can go back to being comfortable in their prejudices.

Jesus does not waste His time with them. Jesus does not engage.

Jesus goes right back to doing what God has called Him to do.

This is their problem. Not His.

Jesus keeps His focus on God. And on what God has called Him to do.

That is how it’s done.

In case you ever wondered how to handle the haters in your life.

Today’s Readings

[theomnicode]

Old but good; analyzing Saitama vs Genos

Wonder if the Saitama and Genos spar is the first time someone actually takes Saitama seriously, as a person with serious ability and as a person who can be legitimately threathening and a respectable fighter.

With Genos going all out and not underestimating or belittling Saitama's ability and instead calling him out on not fighting seriously enough because he was just avoding hits and not striking back, really won Genos quite a few points in Saitama's book. That Genos noticed it in the first place that Saitama was holding back and noticed it very fast to boot, spoke of keen intellectualism and analytical skills.

When he was stupendously shocked instead of idk, fainting after a Death punch, Genos showed he had actual guts to face death head on too and wasn't just all talk and no show and that's why Saitama chose to invite him out on dinner later. Genos was trying to impress Saitama, so Saitama tested him and chose to reveal his full ability in return and was happy with what he found since Genos didn't run away screaming.

He slaps genos forehead with a knowing smile and eye-brow raise to get him out of his shock; it's not every day a guy has to face death head on and lives to tell the tale.

It is something Saitama has faced himself multiple times when he was training to become stronger, so he would know the feeling quite well.

Having the composure to still be standing in the face of Saitama's Serious punch means Genos can practically face anything the world throws at him without flinching and still rise to the challenge and that's all the confirmation Saitama needs if he's to actually take Genos as disciple. Someone hanging around him would come face to face with world ending threats of far higher caliber than is the norm, of that he has no doubt. Just for the sake of their own protection, they'd have to rise to Saitama's level if they want to hang around with him because Saitama is a monster magnet.

And maybe after a Death punch, anything else is practically too tame to even induce a shock, so Genos would be better prepared to face destructive force like that and not freeze and be able to dodge.

The invitation for spontaneous late dinner seems to be just as much of an silent apology as it is an invitation that Saitama wanted to get to know Genos better. The guy impressed him enough to be quite interesting. Genos being legitimately interested in HIM and not deterred despite showing just how dangerous he could be, made him interesting.

(Saitama was going to pay for both since he invited Genos, he planned out the restaurant based on his low funds and based on that it had good Udon and the evening time gave it a more "romantic" overtone, so yea, it was "technically" a date too.)

I also highly doubt that Saitama looking back at Genos was just because of he was unsure if Genos liked udon, but more about second-guessing himself if he had actually went too far after all, because Genos still wasn't reacting and wondering if he had actually scared him too much or something. Saitama doesn't Death punch people for fun, so there could've always been an adverse reaction.

Saitama was also seemingly second-guessing himself in spontaneously asking Genos out for dinner in the first place. What if he was making some kind of social plunder here because Genos was just staring at him with a weird expression?

Fortunately, it wasn't a plunder for Saitama.

--

Unfortunately, Saitama probably also feels like he's just a wallflower compared to Genos and all the people vying for Genos' attention afterwards; Amai-mask the Handsome Kamen and all the fangirls, one who blatantly just asked Genos to shake her hand is a source of envy because he wasn't confident enough to do anything remotely the same. Genos is a show-stopper and Saitama definitely noticed this and so he doesn't want his new disciple to even work with him to steal the glory. Saitama's low self-worth does not do him any favours.

Instead of getting rookie-crushers trying to crush his hopes of succeeding, Genos even gets treated differently. People didn't seek out to test his ability as S-ranker, but seemingly sought him out for entirely different reasons, not interested in fighting skills...and the only connecting dot Saitama seems to figure out that Genos just looks far more handsome and he's popular because of his looks, so Genos already forges better connections immediately. Fangirls don't want to fight, far from it, they just want to know him.

The lower the rank, the less popular and uglier the hero is. The higher the rank, the more popular, better connected and good looking the hero seems to be.

Not unlike in multiple irl job circles where people who have the looks get more foot inside the door and the higher status you are, one often just looks the role.

It just perpetuates the poor self-image he has of himself when other C-rank heroes claim they are popular too (Tank toppers), so Saitama is just an exception to the rule of being unpopular C-ranker, so it must be something about himself that is wrong. That he's the only common denominator in being unpopular and it HAS to relate to how lame and plain he looks. Because he doesn't look like a buff Tank topper either, that must be one of the reasons he's not popular.

(Saitama's self-image is really quite awful innit? I'd need to do some serious research to see if it has gotten even a smidge better)

Genos is S-rank, he's C-rank. Genos looks pretty, he does not. Genos is amazing, he is lame. Genos is popular, he is unknown and disliked. Genos has nice hair, he does not and worse, he used to have hair but lost it and all that remains is a shiny bald head. There is a lot for Saitama to be envious about when he just tries to be himself, but nobody likes him when he tries to be just himself. Too plain to ever be noticed. Upward comparing himself to Genos doesn't do his self-esteem any favours and he plainly shoots down any kind of flattery.

It is no wonder if Saitama feels like he just can't compare to Genos and has taken this long to actually show any kind of affection and confidence to express his true feelings; his poor self-esteem just made him feel like he never had a chance anyway from the start and Genos is definitely out of his league, being everything he hoped he could be. And probably not actually really interested in him in that way despite titivating himself to Saitama, that was just an ulterior motive just like his empty flattery before meteor incident, plain to see through.

After is a different story, because Saitama did something heroic, so there was an actual reason behind it and Saitama can appreciate Genos being more honest and cheering him up and listening to him rant.

It does send up quite the mixed signals however, so it takes a long time to figure out his intentions just to be on the safe side.

Can't say for sure if Saitama has stopped comparing himself to Genos completely, but his looks and lack of popularity are no doubt still a sore spot, even if he has since learned to greatly appreciate Genos and how he complements him instead of highlighting the differences.

[essseateatarot]

Have you ever gazed at a tarot deck and wondered if it held the key to unlocking self-love, body acceptance, and that unyielding confidence you’ve been searching for? It’s a curiosity that often dwells within us, hidden beneath layers of self-doubt and longing. We’re about to embark on an extraordinary journey that will defy your expectations of what tarot can reveal.

Join me as we delve deep into the profound connection between these ancient cards and the raw, human emotions that shroud our body image, insecurities, and self-esteem.

It’s a journey of vulnerability, empathy, and unearthing the truths we often keep locked within.

[ordinaryeternalmachinery]

She was silent. She had gone too far. Too far—but then that, too, had been done deliberately, hadn't it?—that cynical disgust with herself?—and this contempt for that trumped-up disgust, wasn't that theatrical? And this doubt about the contempt... It became maddening, if you began being sincere—was there really no way to stop?

SHE CAME TO STAY by simone de beauvoir

[weirdfact]

90% of women have one breast that is at least 15% to 20% larger than the other.

(source)

[the-healing-mindset]

This is great.

Source: Charlotte Freeman

[dynamoe]

Imaging having THIS level of self-confidence.

from LIFE magazine: Photographs on Fabrics

man sleeping on Hedy Lamar's face (1947)

also from LIFE magazine: Photographs on Fabrics

[anxovert]

[stoicmike]

You will never see a photograph of yourself that looks like the self you imagine yourself to be. -- Michael Lipsey

[count-the-lilavatis]

So, a thing my therapist said was "picture the smile on your face as you do [insert goal here]". And I'm just like "???". People visualise themselves with faces? If I picture myself doing something, it's first person - I can see my arms, but that's about it. If I just picture myself, I'm like... a vaguely human-shaped glowing light. If I want to picture what my meat-suit looks like in a mirror, I can, but that's not me, that's just my flesh.

So now I'm having an existential crisis of is it just me? Is it the bipolar-with-side-order-of-schizophrenia? (aka bipolar 1) A queer/neurodivergent thing? Something else??