28 Nov Take a good look in the mirror….you might like what you see..

Have you ever truly looked in the mirror?
I don’t mean putting on makeup, cleaning your teeth and looking in the mirror. I mean really looking you in your eyes, your face and even into the depth of your soul. Well, I hadn’t until very recently.

You know that saying… ‘have a good hard look at yourself in the mirror’? Well, I have never shied away from having a good hard ‘look in the mirror’ at myself. I take feedback and constructive criticism because that’s what helps us grow as humans. Life is all about learning from our mistakes. Children can’t be told they are awesome, perfect, clever all the time or they will never have the chance to improve, strive or challenge themselves. They won’t know that change and striving to improve will reap a personal reward.

So, about a month ago, I had an amazing opportunity to attend a women’s retreat in the peaceful surroundings of Leura in the Blue Mountains. I felt incredibly guilty for taking this time away from my kids. I was a little nervous but I was also looking forward to some time out to focus on myself and seek a clear direction for my business and life in general. I knew I had to remove myself from the busy life I lead to truly see what was important to me. I am a big believer in carving out your life and not sitting back waiting for it to happen.

Well, I got the outcome I needed and a whole lot more. Too much for just one blog, so let’s go back to looking in that mirror.

image via Pinterest

On day 2 of the retreat, we spent 10 long minutes in front of a mirror, just staring into our own eyes. Yes, confronting. There were times I just had to look away. I realised it was the first time I had ever really seen myself. The shape of my face. The way my eyebrows were framing my eyes. The way my hair forms around my forehead. My thin lips. I also saw lines and creases I didn’t know existed. I was full of critical words and thoughts. I saw the parts I could fix if I believed in botox. I saw darkness in my eyes like I was saying goodbye to any past heaviness.

Photos are free from movement, a moment captured in time. A mirror has 3D depth and movement. You can truly see yourself. My eyes played tricks, my brain made me focus on the negatives but the longer I looked, the more I started to become fascinated and kept thinking that there is only one face like this. I started to see the things I liked, my high cheekbones and my large eyes. The darkness faded and I let in the light.

Is this what acceptance feels like? Is this how my styling clients feel once they have embraced the process I put them through. When they can stand in front of the mirror and embrace the women they can see in the reflection. A lightness that wasn’t with them at the beginning.

It became even clearer as I stared into my own eyes that style and acceptance is really all about being connected to YOU. External validation is nothing. Believing in your own journey is everything. Intuition, gut instinct, what feels wrong or right is….. something all women posses but can’t always feel or trust it due to the busy sounds of everyday life. We give away our power. It is slowly drained, declining and we forget who we are.

The retreat and the women involved were able to give themselves the gift of time, insight, stillness and a place of non-judgement. Life really is a journey and the only thing guaranteed is that you will always be by your own side. So look into that mirror and ask yourself if you are holding onto the darkness of self-criticism or are you moving forward and letting in the light of acceptance. Women who love and accept themselves will continue to grow in confidence and say yes to opportunities that come along. She will shine and be seen.

I am a personal stylist who uses clothes as a tool to connect women to who they truly are or where they are headed in life. Women wanting more confidence, more fun, more light in their lives. There is never anything wrong with self-improvement.

When I finished looking at myself in the mirror, I saw someone I knew well and I liked her a lot. She was me.

Take a good look in the mirror. You might find what you have been looking for!

For more information on the empowering women retreat, head to https://www.facebook.com/SuziPetrozzi/