Amy Schumer faces her critics with a message of self love and confidence: 'The fear is gone'

Amy Schumer looks at herself in the mirror. She is nearly naked, save her bra and the nude Spanx she has on to flatten her belly. As she stares at her reflection, her eyes begin to fill with tears. She doesn't say anything, but what she is thinking is very clear: "I'm disgusting. I hate the way I look. Who could ever love me?"

Although this describes a moment in Schumer's new movie, "I Feel Pretty," it's a scene we all know - facing your mirror image, completely devoid of confidence and overwhelmed by a crippling self-hatred.

I know it, anyway. I know it so well that lately, as I head through my early 30s, I avoid looking at my reflection at all - in elevator mirrors, glossy windows - except for when I'm applying makeup to cover my flaws. It's not easy to admit that. I know that I am not an ogre and that I possess many qualities more valuable than my looks. I am a successful journalist who recently managed to write a New York Times best-selling book and keep my dog, Riggins, alive and thriving.

And yet, I still worry that when people look at me, all they see is my double