I can see a feminine figure emerging, but when I look in the mirror I only see a "pretty boy", with muscles everywhere? people at work are seeing *something* about me. I get sneak peaks from the guys!
Well one reason is that the viewing angle looking down in the shower is significantly different from looking into a flat mirror. We also don't see our own face while looking down, so our mind can't automatically trick us into thinking 'oh, that is just me, the same me I have always been.'
Another reason is that the image we see in the mirror is the one we have seen every day of our adult lives. It takes a while for the changes to register in our minds. Until our minds catch up we see a residual image of ourselves. People who don't see us very often will probably start noticing differences after 3 - 6 months.
I have been on HRT for 9 months. Most of the time when I look in the mirror I have a hard time noticing any differences, I don't think I have changed much. However, when I look at a recent photo and compare it to one taken before I started HRT I can see significant changes.
My oldest daughter came to visit for Christmas. We had not seen each other since April. Until two days ago she did not know I was transitioning. Once I told her I asked if she had noticed anything. She said that I definitely looked different, but she didn't know exactly what the differences were.
It does take time for you to start to change the way you view yourself, I know it has for me and I have really struggled to see the differences, then one day I did notice that something looked different. I am at about 19 months and in my 50's which makes things take quite a bit longer for those of my age...Having said that I have talked in the past about not being able to see that woman in the mirror....I do see the makings of a woman in front of me when I look in the mirror but am certainly my own harshest critic, but aren't we always :D.
One day soon hopefully you will see what others can, you sound like you have the right things going on if you are being "checked out"...I guess it just takes time to see them for yourself. :)
Other than the obvious annoying dangler hanging there I am rather happy with both who I see in the mirror and when I look down in the shower
It just takes time which reminds me of how I wish I would have started earlier in life
Hugs