Why can’t we just be happy as me?

I’m sitting in front of a daytime TV program and there’s a woman on here who’s had various injections to ‘make herself a black woman’.  It made me think about people and their appearance and how commonplace it is now to want to be somebody else. 

Obviously this is an extreme example, but in today’s social media society you only have to flick through a few images to see how everybody wants to be an idealised version of ‘me’.

There are beauty shops everywhere nowadays and I’ve noticed even an increase in men’s barbers and grooming shops just on our local high street. It’s not a female-heavy phenomenon anymore. 

People are constantly trying to be different to their original selves. 

Young women having various cosmetic procedures - lip fillers, body shaping - numerous filters on pictures, teeth whitening. The list is endless. 

Is this the result of a selfie generation? Many can’t do anything without taking a photo or posting on social media. So do people then think it must look perfect and therefore their appearance must be what’s perceived as perfect?

Even young girls now are posing with their hand on hip, perfecting their pout and taking a selfie from the right angle. 

When did it become the norm to not accept who you are?

Why can’t we just be honest and be ourselves? 

Are the pressures now that high that we need to be pretend to be something else?

Or is it harmless and just a form of escapism? 

When did things change? 

How do you feel?

Personally I’m aware I’ve changed so much obviously just from ageing and moreso from having children! However, myself I don’t think I’d have any form of surgery or cosmetic procedure to change me.

Although I do dye my roots in my hair as I don’t like the greys showing, I do wear makeup, so I suppose I too do change myself to an extent. I’d argue it’s just covering up a bit and highlighting my features rather than trying to change them...Or am I just in denial? 

Why is it we do not feel confident in how we are naturally to be seen in photos or out in public without this heavily filtered image in front of us?