A few months ago I started taking daily photos of myself. This wasn't for an art project or a web project or a YouTube video from 11 years ago; rather, the motivation was two part. First, it was to note what I was wearing on a particular day – and, something to share with one of my friends, for feedback. Second, it was to help me feel better about the way I looked.

The clothing angle is partially to notice my habits – what things I wear, how I feel on a particular day, how I want to present myself.

The feeling better part is something that is still a work in progress. Having a photo of myself shows an unbiased* viewpoint of how I actually looked on a given day. I spend an incredible amount of energy and effort every day considering how I look – but it's not in the name of vanity, I assure you: it's a small dialogue in my head about my body and what's not right with it. In other words, it's bad old feelings about the way I looked 3 years ago and how I do not look that way now.

It's an unfair comparison, one that shows a disconnect between my brain and my body. My hope is that a photo each day serves to remind me that I am here now, I am worthy, and I look good. This is me working on undoing a very, very old pattern. It is hard.

* = Yes, photos can be biased of course. I've tried to control the series as much as possible: same position, same lighting, roughly the same pose.