Pretty on the Inside

But People See the Outside

Photo by Sulis Maulida on Unsplash

I would save a lot of money if I stayed off social media. And boy, do those ads target me. An elderly woman who wants to lose weight fast, look 30 years younger overnight, take a magical pill that cures digestive issues, perk up her sagging boobs, imbibe a powder to give her energy to run marathons, potions to help her sleep, a color scheme to bring out her best features, clothes for her archetype, and how going back into the 70s will solve all problems.

And I’m a sucker for all of them. Just this month I bought a “jelly bra” (and even though I always check where the company originates from - it said it was a mom & pop establishment - I get an email telling me my package just arrived in Italy on its way to the US), tank tops with built-in bras, and a micro-derm kit that erases wrinkles. All from social media ads.

The Health & Wellness and Anti-Aging marketing behemoth is insidious. I don’t go on Facebook much except to sell stuff, but it doesn’t matter. Instagram, Google, Amazon. They know all about me. Well, they know the collective me, and they are doing a pretty good job whittling away at my bank account. Yes, I know the caveat, “Buyer Beware,” and I think I’m pretty savvy, but when it comes to my ego and my vanity, I crumble.

I find myself looking at the foreheads of women my age to see if there are any creases. “Aha!” I say to myself, “Botox!” Probably half the women I know get injections. So what? Before I retired, I was a good 25 years older than most of my colleagues. Lunchtime conversations were about fillers, waxing, boob jobs, and various other cosmetic procedures to alter our bodies.

And now it’s all about Ozempic and Wegovy. I never thought I’d see a sports celebrity injecting herself with a hormone on national TV. Our government is even touting them by a Health Secretary who proclaims to be a natural health guru.

Speaking of natural health, I have a plethora of vitamins for all of the above and more. I have creams and lotions and serums and powders and masks and solutions and whatever else tells me I will look 30 years younger. I’m just like everyone else; I just haven’t gone under the knife or the needle.

I really wish I weren’t like this. Comparing myself to an impossible ideal. Perhaps if I lived in a cave, it wouldn’t bother me so much. But I do live in the world, but I am not of it. I need to remember that. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy and look good, but as my parents used to say, “Pretty on the inside” is what matters. (I think that was more of a “don’t get a big head” comment, but it is still true).

So I will probably not stay off social media, although I do limit myself. I try to adhere to the adage GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) and fill my mind with the positive, the spiritual, the meaningful. Not think less of myself but think of myself less (one definition of humility). And maybe save some money.