I've always been the reader and movie-lover in my friend group. The way that stories and characters inspire me to be the best version of myself touches my soul in a way that nothing else does. I was already an imaginative child, but after my family moved across our state, I spent all of middle school connecting with fictional words and characters, so I spoke to relationship expert Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, for a look at why our bonds with fictional characters are so strong.
I've always been the reader and movie-lover in my friend group. The way that stories and characters inspire me to be the best version of myself touches my soul in a way that nothing else does. I was already an imaginative child, but after my family moved across our state, I spent all of middle school connecting with fictional words and characters, so I spoke to relationship expert Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, for a look at why our bonds with fictional characters are so strong.
As I aged, I felt like I was growing up with my favorite characters, from The Chronicles of Narnia's Lucy Pevensie to the various superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As someone who's on the quieter side, it's always been inspiring to see characters that are brave under pressure because it makes me feel like I can be brave, too.
"Fictional romances can make us believe that our own romances should look exactly as we see them on the screen," Earnshaw says. "The same with how friendships and family relationships might be represented. But in real life, relationships are more complex and include day-to-day interactions which can't possibly be demonstrated on TV."
With so many shows and movies available, it takes no time at all to fall out of one hyperfixation and into another, but Earnshaw says that's not necessarily a bad thing. "Remind yourself that it's okay to have a fantasy! It is also okay to admire a character. I think it's super important not to have shame around this," she says. "And then, use that admiration and fantasy to consider what it means for your real life — what are you hoping for? What type of connections do you need?"
This is a welcome to the start of the start of the beginning.
Removing skin tags is a bad idea because there's a chance the process isn't actually harmless. "Not all things that seem to project off our skin surface are benign tags, and it is important to know the exact diagnosis of the lesion removed," Ciraldo says.
"If you have a difficult time getting into a derm for a visit, consult your primary physician about diagnosis and treatment of things that you think are simply skin tags."
woman in black long sleeve shirt and blue denim jeans covering her face with her hand
Photo by Igor Érico on Unsplash
"Putting a henna tattoo on your face and then watching it fade unevenly as the days go on is a mistake," Ciraldo says. But since freckles are a result of overexposure to the sun, you shouldn't feel like you have to forgo the sunscreen to get them. "Just take a thin waterproof [light brown] eyeliner and paint on these spots."
person holding heart-shaped snow
Photo by The Great Report
2020 Global Report Sheet
