Yesterday, while picnicking with friends, she took some photos of me. Looking at myself in the photos, I was still as critical as usual.

When I realized this, I told my friend that I never think I look good when looking at photos, but when I look back at my photos from ten years ago, I wonder how I was so beautiful! My friend said she thinks she looks beautiful in photos from two years ago!

Sigh! We all have to admit that today is the youngest day of the rest of our lives, so let's appreciate ourselves!

Today, I received an inquiry from a potential client for image consulting, and surprisingly, it was a gentleman (probably under thirty). I sent him a survey first, and not long after, he submitted it.

This gentleman, whom I have seen in social media, has a very high altitude, a slender figure, and a rugged facial structure, belonging to a very malleable type, but his answers showed that he is not very satisfied with himself. Although he had previously paid for styling services and imitated various bloggers' outfits on Xiaohongshu, he still felt it lacked a sense of feeling and believed his image lacked appeal to women.

Haha, humanity has a long way to go in accepting itself! It seems that both men and women are the same in this regard.

I once read stories about those stunning sisters, such as Hong Kong star Kwan Zhi Lin and Taiwanese star Hsiao Chien, who also experienced beauty anxiety. How can we ordinary women live with that?

Of course, this is a joke! I have two extreme views of myself. Sometimes, when I look in the familiar mirror at home, I feel beautiful, but that’s only a few times; once I have to appear in public and face others, the confidence I had while looking in the mirror disappears, and I always feel I am not perfect enough.

It’s hard to imagine how I managed those occasions back when I was a singer and a host. Of course, at those times, I was fully made up, dressed in formal wear, and with a distance between the stage and the audience, I wasn’t afraid of being criticized. Anyway, when I was immersed in work, I often had a “no one in sight” state.

In these years of self-help growth, I have distanced myself from crowds and neglected my appearance. There was a period when I didn’t even look in the mirror. But gradually, I realized that continuing like this would only make me more closed off, which is why I want to “return to my old profession.”

Of course, from another perspective, my understanding of myself has been opened and enhanced from the inside out, and I will “observe” my state.

For example, now when I look in the mirror, I notice that I am not satisfied with my slightly yellowish skin tone, I mind the fine lines at the corners of my eyes, I critically look at the few sunspots on my skin, and the new white hairs that have sprouted... It turns out that mainstream aesthetics deeply influence my perception of myself!

Yong Mei is an actress I particularly admire. She once requested not to have her wrinkles photoshopped after a shoot because she said those wrinkles were hard-earned.

I hope I can accept myself so calmly, accepting myself from the inside out, in all aspects!

Today, I scheduled a consultation time with that gentleman for tomorrow. I hope that during the accompanying process, I can also be renewed more deeply! After looking at his information, I am quite looking forward to exploring the journey of self-image style with him, because the first stop is the lesson of self-acceptance, and I know very well that the reason he thinks he lacks appeal to women is that he doesn’t like himself; the outside world is just a reflection of his inner self.

Therefore, by accepting all of ourselves, we can embrace an increasingly beautiful self, just as Yong Mei, at her increasingly mature age, creates roles that are more and more rich and vivid. This is a state full of juice, a beauty that has shed its youth.

Thus, accepting oneself is a profound process of self-awareness and growth. It means we are no longer bound by external standards but learn to appreciate our unique beauty.

Through my own experiences and observations of others, I have found that dissatisfaction with oneself actually stems from deep-seated insecurity. We may feel our eyes are not big enough, our noses are not straight enough, or our figures are not good enough. But these so-called “flaws” precisely constitute their unique beauty.

Who can say Shu Qi's wide-set eyes are not beautiful? Without that distance, it would be impossible to express that dreamy feeling, creating a lazy and relaxed aesthetic. Who can say Kim Min-hee's high cheekbones are not beautiful? Without that height, there would be no sense of aloofness, and she, who completely does not conform to mainstream aesthetics, has become the leading lady in many films precisely because of this temperament, winning over many male admirers.

Speaking of men, I really admire a stand-up comedian I recently saw on Xiaohongshu. His feminine charm combined with his curly hair perfectly matches, and his appearance is neither masculine nor handsome, yet there is an inexplicable attraction that makes it hard to look away. I believe his retro mix of femininity and relaxed style plays a decisive role.

I will tell that gentleman that image consulting is not just about how to dress up; more importantly, it is about how to understand and accept oneself. I will encourage him that the first thing to do is to stop criticizing himself. Whenever he finds himself being critical of his appearance, he should stop, take a deep breath, and then say to himself, “I accept the way I am now; I appreciate the way I am now.”

I will also tell him that everyone has their own shining points. What he needs to do is to find those shining points and learn to appreciate them. Whether it’s his smile, his gaze, or his unique temperament, these are his charms. Straying from the beauty he wants to achieve will only disconnect him from himself, making him an ordinary person who is not himself. Being oneself is a shining thing, and it will naturally attract those who truly appreciate the real him, rather than “bad relationships.”

During the consultation, we will also discuss how to enhance inner confidence through external dressing. I will teach him how to choose suitable clothing and accessories based on his body shape, skin tone, and temperament. But more importantly, I will teach him how to use these external changes to boost his inner confidence.

I will tell him that beauty is not just about appearance; it is also an attitude. When we learn to accept ourselves, appreciate ourselves, and express ourselves, our confidence will naturally radiate, and this confidence is the most attractive.

This rehearsal consultation is to tell everyone that image engineering should not be rushed; accepting oneself is a long process that requires time and patience. But as long as one is willing to start and try, he will find that he is becoming more and more like the best version of himself.

I hope that through my companionship and guidance, he can learn to accept all of himself and embrace an increasingly beautiful self. And in this process, I am also constantly learning and growing because every consultation is a dialogue of the soul, an opportunity for self-renewal.

Let us together accept all of ourselves and embrace an increasingly beautiful self. Because each of us is a unique existence, worthy of love and appreciation.