I don't wear makeup or have many clothes or jewelry, etc. That's not what I'm interested in, so I don't have to fight what the ads are saying. But I don't buy magazines either and my husband can't stand the TV commercials, even though I like to watch to see the "story" but there are so many now and I've lived long enough that I don't have any thoughts or pulls toward thinking if I drink a certain beer that I'll suddenly have friends and be popular or that drinking Captain Morgan will surround me with fun friends and I'll be fun and creative too.

I think most of self esteem is knowing what you really like. If you like chocolate ice cream, someone's ad for vanilla isn't going to sway you or, if it does, then you know you have a problem with being overly dependent on what others think/do. I concentrate on "facts" and use logic to help me not be swayed. The chances of my winning the lottery are almost nil so I'm not going to waste my money. The Maryland lottery has adds that say "let yourself play" which are very tempting, make it sound like I'm not playful (which I am) and that I'm a stick-in-the-mud and there's something wrong with me for not wasting my money :-) I know I am playful, and I also know I'm playful on my terms, not someone trying to fast-talk me out of my money. Getting angry at the ads is a helpful tactic to not being swayed by them but it helps too to know you "are" what they are trying to tell you you aren't. I'm the best Perna there is in existence because I'm the only Perna!