Step One: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

You're the fairest of them all.

It's true, you know. There isn't a person alive that doesn't possess some quality, whether apparent or obscured, that makes them beautiful. Of course the only meaningful, lasting beauty is inner beauty. Who you are on the inside, your character and heart, are what people around you eventually bond with. But what good is inner beauty if nobody gets to see it because you look like a train wreck on the outside?

What do other people see when they look at you? There's only one way to find out. You have to look at yourself. You have to really see yourself as others see you. You have to look in the mirror. You have to face your Outer Spaz. Whether you're disabled or not you have an Outer Spaz. If you're Palsied your Outer Spaz includes the physical manifestations that make up your disability, any additional hardware you require because of it, and anything you don't like about your body. Do you jerk when you move like a mime on crack, twist in your wheelchair, grimace when you talk? Do you have an ass so wide it has it's own zip code, cottage cheese thighs,  and a double chin below your double chin? Are you so flat-chested and scrawny that the local food bank keeps leaving care packages - and padded bras - on your doorstep? All of these things are your Outer Spaz. The trick is to transform your Outer Spaz into a vision that people will look at because it is poised, put together, confident and charismatic.

It can be done. It can start today. Step One is to make a list of everything you see that you think you can improve upon or need to divert attention from.  Be honest and critical in a realistic sense without seeing yourself so flawed that you quit before you start. Meet your own gaze in the mirror with head held high, examine the things about your Outer Spaz that need work, and commit to the changes that will change the way people see you.

Hang on to your list. You'll need it as we move forward. I'll share mine with you next time.