On honesty... I am starting to wonder if it exists. If people believe what they want to believe, is that the truth? Maybe there is no truth at all. I don't know much about anything, but I know that the mind is just a tool. We tell it what ideas to perpetuate and what actions to do. Our mind, for the most part, only does what we tell it. People choose to perpetuate hatred, love, wrath, anger... anything. But I think one's happiness and resilience are strongy related to their mind. Our truth is only what our minds make it and our attitudes control how we think. If you have a good attitude, you are on your way to having a happier truth.
On beauty and fishing for compliments... Beauty is random and unfair. Why do some people get all the looks and others don't? You are who you are. As much as I'd like to say it's easy to get over insecurities, it isn't. I know that firsthand. But here's the thing: if you fish for compliments, it doesn't change the way you look. You still have to face yourself in the mirror. I don't like forcing compliments out of others. My favorite compliments are the spontaneous ones that you can't see coming. They tend to rare but the echoes of them last longer in my mind. Being physically beautiful is a transient thing. Some mornings I wake up with indents on my face from my pillow, but I try not to fret over not looking perfect. I'm not perfect at all. I might be the the least perfect person I know. But I'm happy, and that's the biggest battle right there.
I think the trick is to look at yourself more wholistically. Everyone has their strengths and talents. Everyone knows something that you don't. Everyone has something to teach you, even if the lesson you learn from them is completely unrelated to their literal words. Maybe they will help you learn to appreciate the little things in life or how to say "I need to use the restroom" in German. Who knows? People are cool like that. Being happy and interacting with others is beautiful. Not having to worry about appearances is beautiful.
I guess that's enough of me for today.
To my nonexistent readers, I love you.
-Applebaum the Third
