Surprising Yourself

There is nothing better for the psyche than surprising yourself with your skills, abilities, and beauty. Since I started my naked selfie project, I have heard from many people who say that they are moved by this process. That taking the time to really look and celebrate their bodies has made a huge difference in their emotional and mental states.

Naked selfies change lives. It sounds funny, I know. The thing is, most of us are used to looking down at ourselves or looking in the mirror. It is a wholly different experience to intentionally set up a picture, to set the lighting, the angle, the tone of the picture. You are no longer an observer; within the act of the naked selfie, you become a participant. 

Think of what that opens you up to. You see yourself, your body, in a whole different way. Today, one of the men I send selfies to responded that when he sees them, he is reminded of how much he loves my personality. That is because even though it is a picture of my body, the choices I make with the image tell a story. They narrate much more than the surface of my skin or the topography of my muscles. 

From The Epic Selfie Manual:
"When you truly love and appreciate yourself, no matter what, you are better able to share yourself with people. When you judge yourself, doubt yourself, put yourself down for whatever reason, by definition, you are blind to your own beauty. You do not see how special you are. This is why the act of the naked selfie is so important, even if it is only for you. It is a way to get to know yourself better. It is a way to embrace and appreciate yourself. It is a way to celebrate the physcial wonder that is your body."

I recently received that quote in a text from a friend who has created and undertaken a challenge for himself: 100 naked selfies in 100 days. With his permission, I have posted the text conversation that occurred between us after he took his first breath-taking, life-changing naked selfie:

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So...there it is. In a single moment, this man changed the way he saw himself. He got a glimpse of his strength, his courage, and his unique beauty. He challenged his beliefs about himself. He questioned his self-conscious thoughts and his doubts about one aspect of his body by celebrating it; by defining it in a beautifully brave way. 


If you can celebrate the part of your body that you are most self-conscious about, what else can you call into question? What else can you find in the darkest corners of your life that might give you cause to celebrate? The possibilities are only limited by your desire. It makes the naked selfie the jumping-off point to an exploration of your life. If you can question what you think you look like and be surprised, if you can question the way that you think the world sees you, there is no end to what else you can question.


In the surprise you give yourself, you find that you will also surprise others; with your confidence, your grace, your joy over the part of you that you thought you had to hide.


So let me encourage you to go forth and question your fears, your doubts, your self-consciousness about your body. Take the chance. Take the risk. You are worth it.

Dude, come on. Just share it. Tweet, FB, email it to your peeps. Consider it a way to start a mind-bending, life altering conversation.