The world spends billions of dollars on the fashion and entertainment industry, an industry that preys on the insecurities of individuals and especially creates an inadequacy in the individual. Inadequacy and insecurity are the foundation on which the industry is built because it creates a false impression that the famous celebrities covered in the tabloids are the norm and standard. It leaves the youth aspiring to ridiculous standards that are unreal because a majority of what they see is created impressions. 

The celebrity who is a size zero has undergone surgeory and liposuction, followed by airbrushing and Photoshop. The Instagram influencer who creates a false reality of perfection spends hours editing, nipping and tucking to appear flawless. These are spoken about realities and not news – however, the industry continues to provide a breeding ground for insecurity among the youth. 

Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, one person dies every 40 seconds from suicide and 40 million people suffer from anxiety.  There is a direct correlation between the statistics of mental health and the increment in subscription to the entertainment industry. With the revolution of social media and easy access to entertainment news, the revolution which was intended to connect us has driven us into a wedge of despair and self-hate. 

Self-acceptance involves self-understanding, a realistic, albeit subjective awareness of one’s strength and weaknesses. Understanding what triggers you and what can subject you to feeling inadequate is key. That leaves no room for accepting that, that is just how the world functions because you have the power to decide what you let into your consciousness.

Understanding the power you have is the first step to uprooting the standards to which we hold ourselves, which in essence are not attainable. The reality is more often than not different from the impression. Focus your energy on you and bettering your mental health and uprooting what makes you feel inadequate. 

*Mavis Braga Elias is a civil engineer by qualification and a marketing officer by profession. A philanthropist at heart and founder of the EM Love Foundation. She won the Vivid Philanthropist award in 2015 and the Queens Young Leaders Awards 2018. Find her on Twitter- @mavisbraga