BODY IMAGE – Its all about Perspective and Perception

You’ve probably heard the term perspective in school, maybe in art class, but few realize that before we can master perspective, we need to understand perception.

Perception is how we gather, receive, identify, store, organize, and interpret information from people and the world around us. A balanced sense of perception allows you and the person or thing offering the information to be on the same page.

For example, if your partner tells you, “You’re good-looking,” that is their genuine perception of you. But from the moment you hear it to the time it reaches your consciousness, your perception can alter it. Suddenly, that message might come back as, “he thinks I'm pretty but he is just saying that to make me happy.”

Understanding perception is the first step to interpreting information accurately, responding thoughtfully, and avoiding miscommunication.

BODY IMAGE – Its all about Perspective and Perception

Mastering our perception truly understanding the world and ourselves through our senses, takes skill and time. But it’s worth the investment. When we learn to sense ourselves in a balanced way, our perspective—our point of view, what we see, and how we see it—shifts as well.

For those like me who have struggled with body image (thanks to my short stature), the whole-body image narrative can feel overwhelming. Technology has amplified that narrative. Social media doesn’t just present images—it quietly reinforces a constant story of “not enough,” and the faster we swipe, the louder that narrative becomes. Swiping is now like a master switch controlling our thoughts and how we perceive ourselves.

Those behind the technology are faster than us at feeding information, so we’re always playing catch-up—and inevitably feel inadequate. When we lose control over our sense of self, all we’re left with is what we see, and appearances can be deceiving.

Looking at a picture-perfect model and comparing ourselves to them is exhausting. We imagine how happy we’d feel if we were taller, thinner, smarter, less awkward, or less “different.” Suddenly, we join the endless inner circle of self-criticism, a mental purgatory we’ve all visited.

Sometimes, the bravest step is accepting what we cannot change. Accepting ourselves as we are doesn’t mean giving up; it means avoiding the trap of defining our worth by an impossible standard.

I’m Giovanna, the “short and tiny one.” You may be the “chubby, pale one,” your friend might have the “big nose,” your neighbour is “the weird one.” We’re labeled by features we didn’t choose, and it feels unfair. But resisting reality drains enormous energy. Acceptance, on the other hand, frees us. When we embrace our face, body, and personality, we can start perceiving ourselves as adequate, valid, and worthy. From that place of self-acceptance, real growth and achievement become possible.