Eva Mendes shares message of self-acceptance while reflecting on past ‘insecurities’
‘If you hate a photo of yourself, wait 20 years, then you’ll love it,’ actress says
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Your support makes all the difference.Eva Mendes has shared an inspirational message about self-acceptance while opening up about the insecurities she used to have over her appearance.
On Thursday, the actress posted an Instagram photo of herself from 2003, when she was 26 years old and filmingOnce Upon a Time in Mexico.
In the caption, Mendes, who is 47, revealed that, when the photo was first taken, she had felt insecure with her appearance, recalling how she’d thought her face looked “weird”.
“Just came across this picture from a movie that was almost 20 years ago,” Mendes wrote. “I remember seeing this photo back then and thinking my face looked ‘weird’ and that my bone structure was odd… yadda yadda… you know all those insecurities that a 26-year-old can have.”
However, looking back at the photo now, the mother-of-two said that she no longer feels that way, as she has come to love the photo.
“Meanwhile 20 years later and now I wish I still had that ‘weird’ face and odd ‘bone structure,’” the Hitch star continued. “Why’s my point? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s if you hate a photo of yourself, wait 20 years, then you’ll love it.”
Mendes concluded the encouraging post with a quote from George Bernard Shaw, which she attributed to Oscar Wilde, that reads: “Youth is wasted on the young.”
In the comments, many of Mendes’ followers agreed with her, with one person writing: “Gorgeous then. Gorgeous now. The sentiment is true though. Nice to get older and embrace yourself for who you are.”
Another said: “Oh to be in your 20s and have the wisdom of your 40s! If only,” prompting the actress to respond: “That’s why I love this quote so much!”
Mendes then elaborated on her thinking, adding: “But let’s think of it this way… we’re in our 40s and it can feel daunting but think when we’re 60 and we look back to today we’ll think: ‘We were babies in our 40s!’”
“OK maybe not babies but still young is what I mean,” Mendes continued. “It’s all relative.”
The actress’s post comes after Mendes shut down a commenter who made an ageist comment on one of her Instagram pictures in February 2020.
In response to the comment, which said that Mendes was “getting old,” the Ghost Rider star expressed her happiness at growing older, writing: “Yes, you’re right. Thank God I’m getting old. That means I’m still here.
“I’m gonna be 46 soon and I’m grateful every day that I’m ageing. Was your comment supposed to make me feel bad? It didn’t. It makes me feel grateful. So thank you for the reminder that I’m still here.”
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