According to Psychology Today, body image is the mental representation we construct of what we think we look like, which may or may not bear a resemblance to how others actually see us. Instead, our self-created image is influenced by emotions, mood, early experiences, and parental attitudes, perhaps even moreso than the reflection in the mirror. And whether we like what we see in that mirror has much to do with what society perceives as desirable and what the media perpetuates as normal. Unfortunately “desirable” and “normal” may also be unrealistic for most humans. Consider that on average, we’re bombarded by around 5,000 Photoshop-altered images in a week.
However, the same media that inundates us with the unattainable can be used to fight back. Here are 10 unique instances of men and women successfully using media to revolutionize the way we see ourselves.
Screenshots of the man talking to the camera and with his momTikTok | 
Screenshots of the bakery Image Source: TikTok | 
Two millenialls pose for the cameraCanva 
A woman hands out food to a homeless personCanva
A female artist in her studioCanva
A woman smiling in front of her computerCanva 
A woman holds a cup of coffee while looking outside her windowCanva 
A woman flexes her bicepCanva 
A woman cooking in her kitchenCanva 
Two women console each otherCanva 
Two women talking to each otherCanva 
Two people having a lively conversationCanva 
Two women embrace in a hugCanva 
A reddit commentReddit | 
A Reddit commentReddit | 
A Reddit commentReddit | 
Stressed-out employee stares at their computerCanva
Who knows what adventures the bottle had before being discovered. 
Gif of young girl looking at someone suspiciously via 
A bartender makes a drinkCanva