I confess that I struggle with my weight, and for that reason I intentionally don’t subscribe to magazines that show women with "ideal" figures.  I’ve been working hard on getting healthy and I don’t want to sabotage that momentum by comparing my body to what it will never be.

So when I was in a doctor’s waiting room recently and was flipping through the magazines, I bypassed many of the glamorous magazines and picked up a home magazine.  And then I saw the title and immediately put it back.  It was one of those fancy magazines that shows ideal homes.  "What’s the difference between this and one of the fashion magazines," I thought.  Why look at this magazine when it might just make me frustrated that my home doesn’t look as simple? as tidy? or as "beautiful?"

I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t read magazines.  What I am suggesting is this:

Just as we can be influenced by the media on our body-image, we can be influenced in our attitude toward our homes.  How much guilt or anxiety are you carrying around because your home isn’t immaculate like you see on TV or in magazines?   I was carrying some around myself and didn’t realize it until that moment.

Good to keep in mind next time I pick up a magazine or turn on the TV.