Face It: What Women Really Feel As Their Looks ChangeLet’s face it: everyone’s getting older. But millions of women, raised to believe that success and happiness are based on their intelligence and accomplishments, face an unexpected challenge: the physical realities of aging. If looks are not supposed to matter, why do so many women panic as their appearance changes? Their dilemma stems from two opposing societal views of beauty which lead to two different approaches to aging. Should women simply grow old naturally since their looks don’t define them, or should they fight the signs of aging since beauty and youth are their currency and power? This Beauty Paradox leaves many women feeling stuck. Face It, by Vivian Diller, Ph.D., is a psychological guide to help women deal with the emotions brought on by their changing appearances. As a model turned psychotherapist, Diller has had the opportunity to examine the world of beauty from two very different vantage points. This unique perspective helped her develop a six-step program that begins with recognizing "uh-oh" moments that reveal the reality of changing looks, and goes on to identify the masks used to cover deeper issues and define the role beauty plays in a woman’s life, and ends with bidding adieu to old definitions of beauty, so women can enjoy their appearance—at any age! |
Contents
| 3 | |
Women Caught Off Balance | 17 |
UhOh Moments | 27 |
Masks | 43 |
Internal Dialogues | 57 |
What Do Moms Have to Do with It? | 75 |
Adolescence in Residence 97 Chapter Eight Say Goodbye to Say Hello | 115 |
Where the Valedictorian | 131 |
Seeking a New Balance 175 Appendix A Questionnaire 181 Appendix B 12 Tips for Modern Women | 185 |
Acknowledgments | 193 |
Common terms and phrases
adolescence aging Alana appearance asked attractive aware baby become behavior better Botox can’t careers changing looks cosmetic cosmetic surgery couldn’t culture daughter definition of beauty didn’t doesn’t Elisabeth Kübler-Ross emotional enjoy experience face and body fear feel beautiful felt femininity focus focused friends getting older girls hair hard Hay House Helen Mirren husband I’ve identity internal dialogues Jane Jane’s Katherine Katherine’s kids learned letting go listen lives looks play loss loved makeup masks matter menopause mirror models mother mourn move forward nancy nancy’s naomi Wolf never ourselves parents perspective physical plastic surgery pretty psychological psychology of beauty reactions realized recognize relationship remember reservoir role self-esteem self-image sense shift six steps skin smart sure surgery talk teens things thought told trying uh-oh moment uh-oh moments understand wasn’t wear woman young younger youth