View Survival:Pampering and Beauty
To many Western women, living in a country where packaging and presentation are valued in everything around them, time spent on their own ‘packages’ or pampering as I prefer to call it, often increases. In Japan, the women around us are usually petite, fully made-up, and considered feminine in the way that they speak, dress, and walk. Regardless of their ideas about ‘femininity’, most Western women go through a phase of feeling big, clumsy, and unattractive. The effects of this can really knock your confidence, especially if you are single.
Some women find that they spend more time on their appearance because they become more aware of the changes brought about by the natural ageing process. This is mostly due to the fact that Western women are often in Japan at an age when visible signs of ageing begin to appear, although increased stress levels can accelerate the maturing process. Pampering is a great way to decrease stress and increase mental relaxation.
For some women, the other women around them do not affect how they feel about themselves. Some feel even less aware of their appearance here since they figure they will always be regarded as an ‘other’ no matter how they look. Most Western women who go through a phase of suddenly feeling very negative about their appearance find a way to deal with it, then get out of it; either they remember that it is environmental and make an effort to stop comparing themselves with others, or throw themselves full force into an appearance-obsessed craze. Either will make you feel better.
If you are experiencing negative feelings about your appearance, remind yourself that you are not being stared at because you look fat, clumsy, unattractive, or dull it’s happening because you are unique and interesting!