I love this picture of me!  

My hair and smile are perfect, stomach looks flat. I have no reason to complain.  Don't you wish we all looked so good in photos?

Obviously, this is ridiculous! I do believe the saying is true that "We are our own worst critic".   For me, my worst critic comes out when I'm on the other side of the lens...the scary side ;)  I know that not being in pictures is not a reality.  

It shouldn't be such a big deal!  

I shouldn't scrutinize every photo before giving it the "FB okay" or before letting even my own husband see it! What is it about a self picture that gets us (and by "us" I mean myself and most women) so worried?..makes us so critical?  Why do photos make us feel somewhat vulnerable?  

I believe its our pride.

The truth is, our families and friends love us for who we are.  When they see our photos they don't immediately look for every blemish, tummy roll or make sure our noses look small.  

They simply see us.

I wasn't brave enough to ask anyone I know to give me a "bad" photo for this post so you'll have to deal with me.  Here I am with my wonderful sister. This is the most recent photo I have of the two of us together.  If I were to die tomorrow, this is the last photo of the two of together she would have!..okay a bit dramatic, I digress.

And guess what, I don't like it. I don't like that I look fat. 

I am completely ignoring the fact that we were having fun together on a family vacation...we were just laughing hysterically at our daughters freaking out about caterpillars. I have totally disregarded the truth that no one cares about my tummy except for me.

If I had things my way, I would hide in photos. 

Like here...

Especially because I am in a bathing suit!...ahhh! Is it bad that this is my 'go to' pose for pictures?

Noticing a trend?  The funny thing is in almost all the recent pictures of me - I am hiding! So what's the big deal? It doesn't matter! Stop being so hard on yourself! (I say this to myself).

BE in photos... BE in the moment (for you shutterbugs, hand over the camera!).  Give your family the memory of being a fun-loving person, not the one who perpetually shied away because you don't like how you look.

And for those of you with daughters, they see this.  They see you being insecure and overly critical and it rubs off on them.  They need to see you being okay with your body, smile, teeth, hair, etc, because after all we are all different.  

I truly believe God has created us all uniquely different, whether that means you have a nose with character or a waist that is curvy.  HE loves you!  HE made you, and the God of the universe does not make mistakes. 

So sit and laugh with your family...let it all hang out!

I challenge those of you who have not had a photo taken in the last 6 months to go out and do it!  Give your camera to your kids - they love that!