What I Learned By Not Looking In The Mirror For A Day | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

What I Learned By Not Looking In The Mirror For A Day

#1: We look in the mirror a lot.

37
What I Learned By Not Looking In The Mirror For A Day
SC Style Caster

I'd been wanting to do this little experiment for the longest time. Originally, I planned on going a week without looking in the mirror. But I kept putting it off, and I realized that I needed to start smaller. I consider myself a pretty low maintenance, down to earth person, so I was curious how I would respond to going mirror-less for the day. Even with my 100 percent cotton, makeup-free ways, I found that not looking in a mirror all day was quite the challenge.

8 a.m. I wake up and shuffle over to the bathroom, only to totally forget my mission. I stare groggily at myself in the mirror for five seconds, hands in my sweatpant pockets and eyes nearly open. I open the medicine cabinet to the left - which is also a mirror - and pop two gummy vitamins.

Food time. I Snapchat my brother and future sister-in-law as I eat breakfast. I send them a pic of my oatmeal since a selfie is essentially like looking into a mirror.

I go to the bathroom (I drink a lot of tea). I actively have to fight the urge to stare myself down as I wash my hands. I stare at that plunger/drain part, then happily rush away, glad to return to the mirror-less comfort of the kitchen.

9 a.m. I remembered that I have P90X in the afternoon, which is held in a room with two mirrored walls, plus you basically stare at yourself the entire time to make sure your technique is correct (though I'm sure it's peppered with the occasional narcissistic, or even judgmental, glance). We'll see.

Sometime later. I put on my tea tree oil face mask while staring at the wall, as opposed to watching myself in the mirror as I smear green goo all over my face.

I wonder what a life without mirrors would be like. Just to go about life without worrying how you look. And why would you? You'd never see yourself. You would judge your body for how you feel, not how you look. My mind goes to Instagram fitness feeds. If these fitness junkies say things like "Fitness is about a feeling, not a look" then why do they post countless mirror picture holding their shirt up to show off their abs? If you have a strong core, you can notice it in the way your body feels and how you hold yourself, not simply how it looks. End aside.

I wash my face mask off. Hopefully I got it all off. I squirt a couple pumps of moisturizer in my hands then spread it on my face. I never wear makeup, so this experiment may be less of a challenge for me.

Now time to brush my teeth. Why do we stare at ourselves as we brush our teeth? Doing this 2x a day for our entire lives, you'd think we'd be more skilled. Our teeth aren't going anywhere. We don't need to stare them down like we're in an Old West dual.

I grabbed my toothbrush and left the bathroom, aka hall of mirrors. I stared out the living room window as I distracted myself while watching people head off to class and I jammed out to Vampire Weekend. It's likely that anyone who looked up and saw me was seriously creeped out.

Outfit time. It was a very overcast, rainy day. I threw on a pair of boyfriend jeans - my bell bottoms got soaked last rainy day, growing two inches, so I learned my lesson. For defense and a reminder (to myself and others), I pulled on my Walt Whitman shirt. Perfect for today, it's a one-size-fits-all (none?) white t-shirt (minus the tea stains) stamped with my favorite Whitmanism: "Be curious not judgmental." Because many people may be curious as to why this girl has green stuff on her face or why she has hippie hair (not in a good way) or why she is wearing that outfit. Curious? Ask me. I'll tell you I got ready without a mirror. My outfit is incredibly comfortable and I'm wearing pants that zip (aka fancy pants), so I'm feeling good.

Walking to class, I realize how many buildings are made of glass. Campus transformed in a collection of mirrors. As I saw my reflection in glass doors, I had to avert my eyes. Also, as my laptop started to go to sleep in class (turning the screen into a black mirror), I had to keep moving my mouse pad to avoid seeing my relfection in my MacBook mirror.

After class, I engaged in the traditional lunch and social media-checking ritual. I went to snap my sister back. As I double tapped her message, my face showed up and I actually covered my face with my hands, quickly switching the camera around. I'm impressed with my dedication to going the entire day without looking at myself.

P90X time. I was debating whether or not to abandon my project at this time. I use the mirrors in class to make sure I'm using the correct form, but I decided to stick to the mirror-less mission as long as I could. So I got my mats, my weights and found a spot. During the warm up, I alternated between staring at the ground or looking at other people in the mirror (which again, could be creepy). When we got into squats, I did find myself glancing a couple of times at mirror, but for the most part, I stuck with my experiment. Much of the cardio section (180-degree burpees, tuck jumps, shuffle sprints) was so quick that it didn't even make sense for me to be looking in the mirror. My focus instead was on survival and the burning feeling in my lungs. Even during the arm section, I resisted the urge to glance in the mirror during curls, presses and raises.

Once the hardest part of my experiment, P90X class, was over, I didn't struggle with mirror glances. I accepted the challenge and focused on other things. I whipped up some dinner (not looking at my reflection in the microwave) and ran off to an evening meeting. Eventually I returned home, showered, and got ready for bed without any nagging temptation to catch a glimpse of myself.

My mirror-free day was a very enlightening experience. Even as someone who spends about 45 seconds "getting ready" in the morning, I definitely catch myself instinctively glancing at mirrors or other reflective surfaces as I go about my day. I'm building up the adventurous spirit to venture into a week-long experiment of the mirror-free lifestyle. I'll let you know.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

186540
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

12570
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

456217
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25582
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments