If I was honest, I would admit that a lot of my taking Tiger as a mascot in my life was to help me to bounce over hurt.
At 45 I have developed the theory : "I am what I am", like it or lump it.
even up until 5 years ago I was terribly shy and insecure around strangers, people thought I was stuck up or a snob. I wasn't I was just plain scared.
I felt ugly and stupid, and my laugh was ridiculed as a child, can you imagine being afraid to laugh out loud because when you did people mocked you?
Until just recently I never did, and I never smiled wide enough to show my teeth.
Until I turned 25 I had never once been told by my parents : "I am proud of you". I still got that telegram where my dad said it somewhere.
I have no hangups about body image, but I sure am constantly still striving to put behind me some negative self image problems. I fear rejection, and I detest failure.
It takes confidence to look the world in the eye and say : "this is me accept it, or get lost," finally I am getting that confidence in myself.
Having a Tigger to hide behind sure as heck helps though