debt
Struggling With Self-Image
One of the biggest emotional and psychological problems plaguing the women of America today is the quest for the perfect body. We spend billions of dollars each year on diet programs, exercise equipment and miracle pills in an effort to achieve a more flawless physique. We pay millions more to plastic surgeons, attempting to fix the little "imperfections” we were created with.
Studies show that the great majority of women — more than 80 percent — would change something about their bodies if they could. From playing with perfectly proportioned Barbie dolls when we were young to flipping the pages of our favorite magazines and seeing the skin and bones models that grace the advertisements, social pressures have made most women feel self-conscious about their average bodies. We are inundated with images of slim, beautiful women as we watch television, drive past billboards in our cars and thumb through the catalogs we receive in our mailboxes. All this reinforcement of the idea that beauty is only skin deep has left most women with feelings of discontentment and disappointment about their own bodies. Most women feel they just don't measure up to today's standards of perfection.
Many women live much of their lives concerned about what they see when the look in the mirror. For most of them, these problems lead to minor turmoil, such as self-doubt, lower levels of confidence and an unrealistic body image. But in their more serious forms, these self-image difficulties can lead to severe depression, eating disorders, problems with intimacy in relationships and chronic health problems, complications from plastic surgery and poor dieting routines. And the cycle shows no sign of slowing. As the mothers of today teach their daughters how to become women, they pass along these same fears, anxieties and misconceptions, leaving the young women of today with the same feelings of inadequacy and failure.
Background Information
The Road to Debt
Learn to guard against the four common causes of debt.
Save or Swim
Danger: Thin Ice. Most people wouldn't risk their physical safety. So why do we ignore the signs of a financial catastrophe?
Drowning in Debt
If you can't seem to catch your financial breath, you're not alone. Sadly, millions of Americans are credit card captives.
Questions and Answers
What is the biblical approach to possessions and money?
Answer
Review Frequently Asked Questions
Stories
Prosperity and Pain
Finding blessings in the midst of incredible financial trials.
Credit—Not So Priceless
Every month, we spent more than we made and our balances ballooned. But it didn't stop us from purchasing a new living room set. Who could resist? Little did we know: we were digging a financial grave.
Living in Secret Debt
There's a high price to pay for acquiring debt.
If you've been through a experience related to this topic, we invite you to share your story with others.Share Your Story
Other Things to Consider
Even Though We Ain't Got Money…
That phrase – live on love – kept bringing to mind a song they played on the radio when I was a kid. I scoffed at its utter lack of common sense.
Learning to Roll With Change
It's not the most fun you'll ever have, but the results are worth it.
Related Topics
Transitions: Changing Jobs, Moving
Relationships: Communication Gaps
Parenting Teens: Communication Problems
