How to Live with Yourself When the Mirror is Shattered

You may wake to find your mirror has been shattered. When searching for something or someone to blame, you must come to terms with the idea that, sometimes, you are your own worst enemy. You can wish you realized sooner that the problem lies not with the outside looking in but the inside trying to escape.

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Maybe, you were untangling some deep seated hatred or impressions of someone who made you question everything. Mirrors are often collateral to our internal struggles, the microscope of our being. When your mirror is broken, it can be difficult to see what really is and isn't— a gaslit beacon you trudge toward, always, with uncertainty.

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You may trace cracks in the glass, searching for a story, some clue to solve the mystery of your complexities. And perhaps you are desperate to see the unmarred visage that you once faithfully studied like an artist would consider the anatomy of a bare model gazing back. Try to remember that no one can understand you entirely, not even yourself, not even your mirror.

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Perhaps it's easier to move on by covering the mirror with sheets like a mourning widow. However, it will not stop you from wandering into the bathroom, searching for something that's not there. Maybe you once found your own identity within that glass, thought you saw something that was unknown to the world.

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When your mirror is broken, you have to do the unthinkable: trust yourself. Remember how it feels to be untethered by images or expectations. And if you've forgotten, run inventory like a small business owner. Everything matters. It's about feeling, not gazing at reflections that too often lie. Remember days when you felt free, unconcerned about beauty and perfection.

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Recall the truths of your happiness, however deeply buried. Unearth them onto your table, don them as if entertaining a newfound obsession with headwear, and decide you want to be a hat person. Let that fascination, the relief of self discovery become a part of your identity. Understand that you don't need mirrors to be complete.