Say NO to Negativity!

Hey, you! … 

… Has anyone ever given you a compliment which you have bashfully brushed off like a fly hovering over that delicious cupcake you’re holding, thinking they must have only said it to ‘be nice’?…

… Have you looked at a celebrity, [whose makeup is being retouched 24/7 and hair ever so slightly curled to perfection by her very own stylist], and thought, oh boy, what I would do to look like that!...

… Are you the person who sits in a lecture next to the girl wearing a $400 pair of jeans, so anxiously comparing the way you look next to them, that you forget to listen to the very detailed description of applied statistics you now have no idea about? …

… Do you look at yourself under a much harsher light than others most likely have towards you? …

If so, it seems you may have a serious case of negative self-perception, otherwise known as THE NEGS.

Today, so many women (and guys, you too) feel the pressure to be perfect. They have it set in their minds that they aren’t beautiful, or handsome, and therefore aren’t worthy of the compliments that people give them. This attitude needs to change. We need to start saying NO to negativity.

It IS difficult to feel attractive and positive about yourself in a society where image is so highly regarded, but look at all those beautiful people around you; in your train carriage, at your school, being served at work, sitting across from you at a cafe, in your very own home! YOU are one of those beautiful people. And it isn’t just because of your ravishing smile or perfectly aligned eyes or the fact that you have adorable dimples, it is because you are you!

Comedian, Parks and Recreation superstar, and all-round super lady, Amy Poehler, is doing wonders for young women and girls who are suffering from the negs. Her hit YouTube channel and website, Smart Girls ( http://sgatp.net/ ), offers advice and entertainment, in order for you to, according to their motto, "CHANGE THE WORLD BY BEING YOURSELF!"

Sometimes we all need a bit of encouragement to get us going in the right direction towards confidence and loving yourself. Check out Amy’s video giving advice about how to get rid of those self-negativity weeds riddling inside you, and letting that positive plant grow! http://youtu.be/AkgB4KHzJTc   

[PS: Another cure for the negs is laughter, and I would highly recommend Amy’s sitcom Parks and Recreation in which Amy plays female politician and positive female empowerment activist, Leslie Knope. Or, if you’re short on time, there’s this hilarious American Best Buy ad, http://youtu.be/61fXa9hTowY]
- Emmalie