How I Overcame My Hatred For Full-Length Mirrors

It all started when we redid our bathroom and had the space to hang up a larger mirror. I stood at the sink for the first time, brushing my teeth, and stopped mid-brush, drooling a little toothpaste. I moved my head closer and thought, "Is that what my belly looks like?" In our old, smaller mirror, I was so used to not seeing anything below my chest and there it was: my fluffier belly, staring back at me.

We didn't have a lot of other mirrors in our house. There was a full-length mirror in my bedroom, a small mirror in our other bathroom, and a tiny square one right next to the front door so I could check to make sure there was no spinach or chia seeds stuck in my teeth. I probably looked at my whole body once a day, and that new bathroom mirror was a sort of revelation. I always knew I had extra softness in my tummy, so I wasn't upset. I was just like, "Well, time to do something about that."

The first thing I did wasn't to run to the grocery store to buy my weight in veggies, or to sweat for an hour straight at the gym. No, I got in my car, went back to that home store, and bought three more big-ass mirrors. I hung one at the top of our stairs, one in the main hallway, and one in our living room. I needed to see myself, to help keep me in check.

I've been working out more, eating really clean, and my belly is smaller than it was before hanging up those mirrors. And I'll tell you what. Having those mirrors has totally boosted my self-confidence. Now when I walk past, and I catch a glimpse, I'm proud of what I see. It totally inspires me to stay on this healthy path.

I know people are usually kind of "ack" with mirrors, and seeing themselves can make them feel bad about how they look, so they're better off not glancing at a single mirror. But for me, they actually offered a sense of support, and gave me a little kick in the pants. It's the same thing that can happen when you see an unflattering photo of yourself someone else took. Sometimes you need a little dose of reality to encourage you to order a salad at lunch, or to join your friend for an after-work run. You have to find what works for you, and who knows? Maybe it's mirrors.