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You’re not perfect. No one is – even that hottie at the bar last night! Many of our flaws are something we have power over – smoking, weight loss, or a bad temper. But what about something you don’t have control over, such as a disability or even a physical feature you don’t like?These types of flaws – the ones we can’t control – are really the things that frame who we are, because how we deal with it shows the world who we are. Let me use an example… You have two men who are 35 years old and they’re both losing their hair. Guy #1 does everything he can to hide it. He grows his hair, he uses sprays, he wears hats – basically he’s embarrassed by it. Guy #2 not only doesn’t hide it, but he embraces it. He cuts his hair short and never wears a hat. He’s the first one to make a bald joke about himself if the situation comes up. Who are you going to respect more? The guy hiding his flaw or the one who embraces it and moves on? The second guy is not letting this flaw victimize him, but the first guy it.

That story is a bit humorous, but it’s a true story because I’ve been BOTH of those guys. When I started losing my hair, I tried everything I could to hide my problem. Looking back, I think it’s more embarrassing to think of what I did to hide it, than the actual problem itself. I later learned to embrace my hair loss and in a funny way, I think it has taught me many lessons in life. Think of someone like Christopher Reeve. After his terrible accident, he didn’t run and hide from the public. He put himself right there in the middle of the stage, alone, in a wheelchair for the world to see. Did you respect him LESS because of his flaw? Of course not! That man showed more strength from his wheelchair than he ever did onscreen as Superman.

Now I’m certainly not saying you shouldn’t get that nose job you’ve been saving up for over the past 5 years. But almost everyone has something they don’t like about themselves. But think about this for a minute. If you had to choose… would you rather have something physically imperfect about yourself, or something psychologically or emotionally imperfect? I’d take the physical imperfection any day. Some people have referred to their flaws as a gift because it has forced them to overcome obstacles and put life in perspective.

So take the flaws you’re stuck with and wear them as a medal of honor. The good and the bad things are what make you who you are. You correct what you can, and accept the rest. You have a lot more to worry about in this world than to worry about physical limitations you can’t control.