#MondayMotivation with Derval O'Rourke: Stop holding back and #GetinthePicture

Sharon Huggard

Look, I get it. You’ve just come in the door, you're tired, your make up looks like you put it on last night… in the dark! And you're asked to jump into a photo with everyone! So, you offer instead to hide behind the camera and capture the moment! Problem solved. Except you start to notice that you haven’t featured in photos for quite some time. Sharon Huggard has set the challenge to the women of Ireland to enjoy and capture the imperfect moments as well as the curated ones and she has some great advice on this very topic.

Research shows that 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies, 70% of whom admit to withdrawing from activities and don’t get into family photos, instead opting to take the pictures.

Few memories are being created in photos now. Many photos are filtered, contrived or deleted entirely. The idea of women hiding behind the camera makes me quite sad and I love that Sharon is trying to address this with her movement ‘Get in the Picture’.

Here are Sharon's Top Tips to stop hiding and holding yourself back and #getinthepicture 

1) Mere Exposure: The more you avoid photographs of yourself the more you hate the ones you see because our brain is designed to prefer the familiar. It is called the ‘mere exposure’ effect and one of the reasons you hate photographs is that they are unfamiliar. So, if there was ever a reason to #getintothepicture to make the unfamiliar familiar, then this is it!

2) Why do we look different in the mirror v’s in pictures? The mirror flips your reflection. You are used to seeing your face flipped and in photographs your image is not. Studies show we prefer the mirror images of our own face but we prefer photograph images of other people’s faces because we see them un-flipped in daily life.

3) Comparison: Part of the problem is when we see our pictures, we compare them to the glossy airbrushed pictures we see every day. So when your photo pops up on the screen and you don't look like the celebrities gracing our social media feed you vow never to be caught on camera again.

Your photographs do not have to compare with a spread in a magazine because that's not what they are for. Photographs are taken to capture a memory, they are a keepsake to remind us of a moment not an opportunity to pick yourself to pieces.

4) Make the decision to love every picture. Next time you see a photograph of yourself instead of zooming in on all the parts you think are wrong, remember the moment it was taken. Think about how you felt instead of focusing on how you looked. Remember the joy. Every picture is a moment that you can't get back, so cherish the memory.

5) Take the focus off yourself and associate it with the feelings of fun, connection and precious memories to be cherished. We can’t keep deferring living our life, making memories and taking opportunities until we feel enough, You are enough now! Nor can we continue to perpetuate those hang-ups and impose them on the next generation.

Sharon is challenging the people of Ireland to Get In the Picture on National Photography Day, Friday August 19th 2022. The challenge is to take a photo of yourself on August 19th, wherever you are on that day or whatever you are doing and use the hashtag #getinthepicture and tag @sharon_huggard_the_style_coach.

• Wellness Tip: Get in the Picture! No more waiting for the right time. No more being behind the camera. It’s time for you to get into the pictures with your family and friends. This week take some photos with your family and have fun with it!
• Exercise Tip: Try and get out for a swim. Whether it’s in your local pool, lake, or sea! Water is a great place to start any healthy journey. It takes the pressure off your joints whilst getting in a great workout. Start off with some lunges, followed by treading water to get all the limbs moving. Finish with a swim. Make sure you are able to put your feet on the ground if you get tired and make sure you are safe!

Shakshuka

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

A lazy, one-pot brekkie - perfect for weekend mornings!

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 40 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 African

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely sliced

• ½ red pepper, finely diced

• ½ yellow pepper, finely diced

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• ½ red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped

• 1tbsp tomato puree

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tin of tomatoes

• 4 free range eggs

Method

1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and peppers cook until soft, this will take about five minutes. If the pan begins to get dry add a little water.

2. Add the garlic, chilli and tomato puree to the pan and cook for about two minutes. Add the spices to the pan and mix through.

3. Tip in the tin of tomatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes.

4. Pour the contents of the pan into an oven-proof dish. Crack the 4 eggs into the dish and pop it into the oven for 25 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and place in the middle of the table on a heat-proof mat. Serve with crusty bread.