Self-Esteem Challenge Day 1: A Facial Feature You Like

It's Day 1 of the Self-Esteem Challenge, originally from Better than Dark Chocolate. It's a series of questions and prompts to get you thinking about your good qualities and things that make you happy or proud. See my introductory post for more info.

A facial feature you like

This was a hard question to answer as I instantly thought about all the facial features I don't like! But eventually I decided I like my eyes the best. Although they are quite small and have prominent 'epicanthal folds' (supposedly a birth 'defect'), I quite like their uniqueness. I like the colour-a kind of dark green/hazel. Gold and bronze eye shadow really makes them pop. I've also got decent eyelashes that are quite long and dark despite my fair complexion. I often only need to wear clear mascara to define them.


Despite having to wear glasses to use the computer and watch TV, my eyes are otherwise healthy and for that I'm  extremely grateful. Just to be able to see everything clearly and in the full range of colours is a blessing. I also love how expressive eyes can be. So much can be communicated through a simple look or roll of the eyes. They really are a 'window to the soul' and unfortunately people can usually tell what I'm thinking by looking at mine.

Glittery eyes for a dance show

List 10 things that you love about yourself

It was quite a challenge to think of 10 things I 'love' about myself, as opposed to '10 positive things' or '10 things I don't mind about myself'. By number 6 I was really struggling, but in the end I'm pretty pleased with my list and surprised by how many good qualities I have.

1) My Sense of Humour-where would I be without it? I consider myself to be fairly quick-witted (others may beg to differ) and my ability to see humour in everything keeps me going through tough times. I'd like to think it helps cheer other people up too.

2) My Kindness-I always strive to put others first and go out of my way to help people, even when it's not convenient. I've found that focusing on my self less and on others more actually helps to boost my self-esteem as I feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. Good deeds have a funny way of coming back to you.

3) My Big Heart-I have a lot of love to give, extending from my husband and family to friends, neighbours, strangers and all creatures great and small! I try to approach everything, including conflicts and difficult situations, with a loving attitude. Usually this helps life run a lot smoother.

4) My Integrity- I always try to do what I think is right according to my values, despite my own personal feelings or what others want me to do. I wasn't always like that. During my childhood and teenage years, I told a lot of lies to get attention. I now realise that this was all about wanting other people to think I was special and worthy of love, but this was actually damaging to my self-esteem, as I knew inside that I was a liar and that I was never showing people the 'real' me. Since I realised this, I made a conscious effort to be honest and true to myself no matter what. This has made me feel so much better about myself as I've realised I don't have to pretend to be someone else for people to like me.

5) My Sense of Fairness-I think I have a good sense of justice and equality-nothing angers me more than someone being treated unfairly. I'm quite good at looking at things objectively from many angles, weighing up all sides of an argument before I make a decision, and I think this makes me a good mediator.

6) My Creativity-I may not be the best at art, craft or writing, but I'll give anything a go. I like the way I come up with obscure ideas and solutions to problems that no one else thinks of. My brain seems to work like an intricate mind-map with an infinite number of connections between ideas and symbols. I'm trying to listen to my artistic side more and allow myself more time to express myself creatively.

7) My Inner Strength-I may seem like a weak person on the surface, as I can be quite shy and overly-sensitive at times. I used to think that suffering from depression was a sign of weakness, but now I look back on the experience, I'm impressed with how long I managed to cope in difficult situations. I'm good at persevering through challenges and when I have setbacks I'm getting much better at picking myself up, dusting myself down and getting on with my life.

8) My Enquiring Mind-I'm glad I'm the kind of person who loves to learn. I'm naturally curious and if I don't know something I have to look it up instantly or it drives me crazy! This can be a pain to live with (as my husband will testify) but it's served me well through my career and education. I'm always seeking to better myself by expanding my knowledge and skills.

9) My Generosity-I may not have much money to give, but I try to be generous with my time and energy to make others happy.

10) My Down-to-Earth Nature-I was brought up to value hard work and be happy with what I have. I try to remember that friends and family are the things that really matter-much more than luxury possessions, a fancy career or a flawless appearance. Those things are perks rather than essentials and are often unattainable or not as good as they seem anyway! I've got no airs and graces and I try not to take myself too seriously.


What's your favourite facial feature? What are your favourite things about yourself?