Getting in front of the camera was always something that I feared and resisted. All these insecurities held me back, same with car buying. However, I’m here to share how I overcame my insecurities, gained confidence, all with the help of family, friends, Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor.
This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Autotrader; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
It has taken many years for me to have the confidence that I now have in all things. For quite some time, asking me to get in front of the camera, was like asking me to jump into an active volcano. The fear that I wasn’t pretty enough, skinny enough, and all the other excuses that arises when you’re insecure about yourself appeared.
It wasn’t until I gave birth to my youngest daughter Madison, in my 30’s, that I realized with the help of family and friends, that it was all just that, excuses! It was one day while I was once again creating a reason not to take a photo with my kids that my best friend reminded me:
Girl, don’t you want your kids to have pictures of you when they’re older? There are people uglier, fatter, and all the other excuses you make, that take pictures every day! What’s wrong with you?
What was wrong with me?
Here I was buying into society’s ideal of the perfect woman. I was comparing myself to the women we see in fashion magazines, all put together, with the size two body and the long straight hair. Not realizing that most of these women are heavily photoshopped.
My kids didn’t care that I was a size 8 (at the time, I’m now a proud size 12), with the big nose and big lips. I was their mother, and that was all that mattered. I was the one that took care of their boo-boos when they were hurt, fed them when they were hungry and made sure that their needs are met.
I was also me, and there was no-one else like me. I was unique, and I was proud of that. While it took some time for me to gain my confidence, hearing others tell me what my best friend told me all those years ago has only grounded in me that it’s ok to be yourself, and today these four points have always stood with me.
- Accept Yourself
- Believe in Yourself
- Stop Comparing
- Practice Self-Approval
It’s the same with car buying. The decision to purchase a car was nervewracking. My dad was in another country, and so were my brothers, and my husband who had never bought a car before was no help at all.
A quick phone call to my brother asking for help became a very long and intense conversation about what I wanted, where to look etc., It was my brother who recommended AutoTrader, and since then it’s the site I turn to whenever my family is in need of a vehicle for purchase.
I’ve always been wary of going to a car dealership, especially with me being a woman. The horror stories of us women being taken advantage of because we have no idea what to look out for is what usually keep me away.
Now Autotrader has made it even easier for us by integrating the Kelley Blue Book’s Price Advisor into their website with their listings.
I’m currently car shopping for my eldest son who is heading off to college. I knew I wanted an SUV, and I also knew that it had to be a Kia. However, the prices vary greatly depending on the dealership. One of my main worry when it comes to purchasing a car has been whether or not I was getting a fair price, and the best deal for the vehicle that I wanted.
Now that worry is gone, and I’m confident about purchasing a vehicle without the help of my brothers! I can now make an informed decision because the Kelley Blue Book’s Price Advisor lets me know if the price is in the fair market range. I now see the price I should be looking at and ignore the others without even stepping foot into a dealership.
Car buying can be a daunting task – but it doesn’t have to be. Empower yourself and regain your confidence to make a wise purchase with Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor on Autotrader listings.
