Flawsome Is The New Perfect

Back in Senior High School, we used to come up with all kinds of fun games to play after exams while waiting for closing day. On one of such days, I fancied myself as a TV Personality and started interviewing my classmates. The question was "What do you love most about yourself and why?"

While most of the Girls ('Girls Only' School) put forward their best qualities, this one Girl who has a slight condition of Genu valgum aka knock-knees, said she loves her legs the most. On the 'why?' she said "...because one is tilted at an angle of 15 degrees to the vertical". It was a funny math joke and we all laughed about it. Thinking back now, I admire her for loving her imperfections.

If you're a fan of America's Next Top Model (ANTM) you'll be familiar with some of Tyra Banks' buzz words one of which is "Flawsome".  A combination of 'Flaw' and 'Awesome' which is about embracing your flaws and being awesome anyway.‎ There's Chantelle Brown-Young from ANTM cycle 21 with the rare skin condition - Vitiligo. There's the winner of the just concluded ANTM cycle 22 - Nyle DiMarco who is deaf. Their flaws didn't stop them.

Remember when being curvy was a big no-no in Hollywood? Skinny was all the rave until people like Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian etc embraced and made curvy the new skinny and now everyone in Hollywood is getting boob and butt implants.‎ Angeline Jolie's lips ...she embraced it and now lip fillers are in high demand.

Right after contesting for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria(MBGN) crown in 2011 - which I didn't win but you already know that because instead of campaigning and fighting for world peace, I'm here blogging. Ha ha - I was involved in an auto-crash which left me physically scarred(psychologically too but that's not why we are here).

It's been 4 years but I still have scars on my wrists, knees, toes, shoulders and face. It was difficult looking at my new self in the mirror at first but I chose to look at the scars as tattoos instead and now I barely notice them. Sometimes when people ask how I got the scars, it takes me a few moments to realize what they are talking about. I think (my friends say it's all in my head) I limp slightly every now and then, especially when I'm tired but I don't let that faze me one bit. It has become part of my fabulous strut.

This is not to say I had no flaws before the accident. Quite far from that: I belong to the forehead gang. I wish I could eat whatever I want without gaining a pound or two immediately. I wish I could be taller and slimmer, ‎with flatter tummy and slender legs and no cellulite and and and ... the list is endless.

So, if you can do something about fixing that flaw, please go ahead. Otherwise, you have to come to terms with living with it. Embrace it and love it. There's nothing sexy about a Chic with no confidence arising from one imperfection or the other.‎ Someone pays you a compliment and instead of graciously accepting it with a smile, you start putting yourself down. Urgh! Not sexy!

Why let some minority flaw define you, when there are so many awesome things about you? Exude confidence, pretend to be confident even if you're not. This is one of those situations where 'fake it, until you make it' applies. Whatever your flaws - smile, stand up tall, own those flaws and make the world your stage. Be Flawsome! BeYOUtiful!

xoxo...

Girlfriends.