A S M I L E
When I first read the prompt my thoughts went into two directions. Do I be vain and post one of my favourite self portraits or be sentimental and show a rare photo of myself with my dad. While searching I realised that I really do smile the same way in my photos and that is lips closed with a slight up turn of the corner of my mouth favouring the left side. You will hardly ever see me smile and showing my teeth. I have small mouth and I have small teeth and I have always felt a bit self conscious about it. Even after having braces and getting them off I still smiled the same way.
Having come from a theatre background where I have had to train myself to walk a different way or hold myself differently for a character, I have tried to train my smile. This means looking in front of a mirror and trying to train myself how to move my lips and hold my jaw so that I can smile showing teeth without looking really weird or that it is very forced. So far I have failed. Or I am just too self conscious with the way I feel I look when I do. I can tell I have my father's mouth because I often see him in my smile. However I loved his smile and when I try showing my teeth I want to delete the photo immediately from the camera.
A T A L E O F T W O S M I L E S
The two photos above were taken within a minute of each other with a very outdated cell phone last summer, hence the bad grainy quality. However the photo on the left is one of my favourites because it is finally a photo of myself smiling with my teeth that I actually love. I honestly see a lot of my younger sister in this photo and since I love Zoë dearly it probably adds to my 'why'. It looks so carefree and candid. It made me second guess why I always smile with my lips closed because it looks so natural there. I love the smile too because at the time I was dealing with people who were misdirecting anger towards me against my family and the choices we made.
W H Y I L O V E T H I S P H O T O
Its a reminder to me that though you cannot control the words or actions of others you can choose happiness in your life. If others choose to be upset, angry, bitter, ignorant, selfish, and take things personally you cannot force them to change. I have lost too much of my happiness and the happiness of my family on trying to get acceptance from those toxic people in my life. People can change, but it has to be their choice. So choose your happiness. Choose to Smile!
“If you're reading this...
Congratulations, you're alive.
If that's not something to smile about,
then I don't know what is.”
― Chad Sugg, Monsters Under Your Head
Congratulations, you're alive.
If that's not something to smile about,
then I don't know what is.”
― Chad Sugg, Monsters Under Your Head
I also struggled with being vain or sincere so glad I am not alone there. It is funny though because I found quite a few pictures of me laughing and I was wondering why I can never keep my mouth closed for a picture!
ReplyDeletei really like this post! im also self conscious about my smile. i've always thought that small teeth are so cute!! i love your smile with your teeth, but you look beautiful either way!
ReplyDeleteThis is so true of so many women, I think (including me). I generally dislike having my photograph taken as I also feel uncomfortable about my smile and tend to do the same kind of thing as you in the picture on the right.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely choose happiness!
♡ Molly
What a positive and uplifting post!
ReplyDeleteEveryone looks better with a smile on their face. :)
xox