Welcome to our time of tea & reflection together my friend!

It’s a beautiful Spring day here on the east coast of Australia, not a cloud in the sky & though it’s a little chilly out, the sunshine is delightful.

I’m having a Lady Grey tea & we have freshly baked gf bacon & cheese muffins, split in two with butter melting upon their deliciousness.

Now we’re seated in the sun with our cuppa & treats, let’s begin our reflection together.

Back in the Day

When I was growing up every Saturday afternoon was ‘Movie time’ with my sister in either going to the Cinema or at home watching a movie on television (TV).

Most of the ones on TV were golden oldies from the 1930s onwards, so they were a mixture of topics.

But there was one Genre that always fascinated me & seemed to have quite a few movies made on the topic over the decades.

And that was the ones searching for the Fountain of Youth, often set in the deep darkest jungles of Africa or South America.

As an adolescent watching these movies I often wondered why on earth adults were so fascinated with finding this ‘Fountain of Youth’ & whether such a thing even existed.

Because to my adolescent mind the most wonderful & beautiful people in my life were my grandparents! And I thought they were perfect just the way they were.

Perception

When I entered University to study for my Degree, many moons  ago the first topic covered in Psychology was Perception.

I realised that one person’s perception may not be another’s.

However, I also learnt as I progressed through university & then as a Clinical practitioner that perception is greatly influenced by popular culture & most importantly the family.

Then as a Specialist, specializing in Adolescent & Family therapy I had an alarming & ever increasing number of young adolescents coming to me in serious crisis over their body image.

Now we know that Adolescence is a turbulent time with an acute awareness of the rapid changes in the body. Which is a normal stage of development.

But the rising number of young patients with Dysmorphic ideation or Body Dysmorphic Disorder was alarming.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a condition that obsesses upon an area/s of the body with great dissatisfaction or repulsion, it’s a mental health condition.

Please note;

Unless professionally addressed BDD will never be satisfied, no matter what & how many ‘cosmetic procedures’ are performed.

Satisfaction may come momentarily, after a procedure, but eventually will fade or the focus will shift to another area of the body.

When our clinical team met & discussed this alarming trend we realized that there were certain influences impacting today’s adolescents.

The main one is the body beautiful industry which constantly assaults the minds of children & teens with their industry’s version of the “perfect” body image.

This happens not only through all forms of media but also reinforced by peer pressure, popular culture & family influence.

Media & Advertising

I actually wrote about this back in 2019 & called it an epidemic but sadly it has now reached a full blown Pandemic Crisis with 1 in 3 teens & adults ref  found with Body Dysmorphic ideation (ideation is one step away from diagnosis of BDD) in westernized countries. This is extremely concerning!

Western Society’s obsession with the ‘body beautiful’ movement is deeply impacting the mental health of our adolescents!

This Crisis is driven by a very greedy & money hungry industry who have no scruples!

Who have set so called new ‘norms’ for what westernised societies should accept as ‘beauty’  that in fact is quite distorted. It is actually stripping away all individuality & uniqueness.

Sadly, this is being normalized throughout popular culture by social media ‘influencers’ that promote this distorted image of beauty.

And by “reality stars” in so called “reality” programs – being highly, highly paid to do so!

Leading many to believe that to have a uniqueness as an individual at any age is just not good enough or even worse, repulsive!

Popular Culture & Family Influence

While we need to question & expose popular culture’s influence on what beauty & body images are being  promoted to be, especially when it is hurting our children’s mental health!

We also need to be very aware of our own comments & behaviour about our body’s in front of children in our families, as our comments are deeply, deeply impacting.

Children are listening & absorbing every word we utter,

that’s how they learn to navigate the world around them!

The Solution

We can turn this Crisis around right now within our own families with our children, grandchildren & great grandchildren.

How?

Let’s see what the One who Created us has to say about beauty…that seems to be ignored today;

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment…

but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, 

which is precious in God’s sight.” I Peter 3: 3-4

For we are,

“…awe inspiringly & wonderfully made!”   Psalm 139:14  

Therefore, we are beautiful in His sight & that my friend is the true standard of beauty!

We are beautiful to Him just the way we are, wrinkles, wobblies & all!  For

‘…gray/white hair is a crown of beauty & glory, if it is found in the way of goodness…’   Proverbs 16:31

So, let’s celebrate our laughter lines, wrinkles & wobblies within our families for we have been gifted amazing bodies that have been wonderfully made by our Heavenly Father!

And the signs of aging? Well my friend they’re actually crowns of beauty & glory, a living testimony for a life well lived for Him! Rejoice!

Until next time,

Jennifer

You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook

Or in Prayer

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© 2023 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog All Rights Reserved.  Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com 

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