Real Beauty Is… YOUnique!

I was really touched when I saw the “Selfie” project and it made me think about how I view myself. It also made me think about my daughters and how they look at themselves and even though I have some imperfections that I may not be 100% comfortable with… I had to ask myself what type of behavior I modeled in front of my girls. Do I talk about my insecurities openly in front of them without noticing and if so, is that affecting the way they look at themselves? I tell my daughters that they are BEAUTIFUL just the way they are! Whether they are relaxed or natural, bright eyed and bushy tailed or just not feeling it today, with makeup and/or without! I actually don’t wear makeup a lot, and I said I was going to try and change that so that I have a daily routine even if it’s just eye shadow, eyeliner & lip gloss. It’s not a habit so I never remember to do it. I always take pride in doing my make up or getting it done for an event or photo shoot. On a regular day I’m just plain ole’ Jen!

My daughters on the other hand are teenagers going through what’s trendy and they love to wear lipstick and makeup on a daily basis. I always ask my daughter why she feels the need to wear lipstick, mascara and eye shadow to school. I guess if I can dig deep enough, I went through the same fad when I was a teenager. I don’t think my daughters need makeup to enhance their beauty, I believe they are naturally beautiful and there’s no need to cover anything up. Now, I wish I felt the same way about myself. Lol! I have very sensitive combination skin. I get blemishes for the smallest things and I’m usually ready to use concealer and cover it up. I RARELY take “selfies” and most of my Instagram consists of BRANDS I love, FOOD, FRIENDS and FUN experiences I’ve had! The “selfies” that I have taken have been edited using one of the Instagram filters or recently I dragged one particular photo into Photoshop to use the clone stamp and remove my blemishes and did a soft focus giving me the appearance of having flawless skin. I know… I know…

I have come to the realization that, no one is going to love me if I can’t love myself! I also know that no one is going to love me better that I love myself. So, with that being said let’s NOT dilute who we are and what makes us BEAUTIFUL! I know that when we look at the media we get a warped sense of what beauty is supposed to look like. FLAWLESS!!!!!!! BUT, even the most photogenic and naturally beautiful celebrities and models have their photos Photoshopped and touched up before the commercials hit the networks and the magazines hit the store shelves for us to look at and judge ourselves against. I fell in love with a photo that I saw on Twitter the other day (it was a piece of paper taped to a mirror) and it read… “WARNING: Reflections in this mirror may be distorted by socially constructed ideas of beauty.” AND… You know what? I got it!

You want to know what my daughters had to say about themselves and their “selfies”. My oldest said… I don’t like my forehead, nose and teeth! My youngest daughter said… I don’t like my face period! My heart sank and I couldn’t understand why? So now, I’m all over operation beautiful again! I really need to support my daughters and help them accept what makes them unique. It’s more than just looks! I’m going to have to start from within. So, please take a look at this “Selfie” documentary and join the movement. Feel free to check out Dove’s Real Beauty Mission. Tell me what #BeautyIs to you…

Selfie

Operation Beautiful Book Review

Operation Beautiful “Transforming the Way You See Yourself one Post-it note at a Time” By Caitlin Boyle is one of the most amazing books I have read in a long time. It started with one Post-It note randomly written and stuck on a public bathroom mirror that said “You are beautiful!” Caitlin then posted a photo of what she had done on her blog and it spread like wildfire! The responses she received were enormous! Women from all over had sent emails, pictures and stories showing what they had done following her lead. Then Caitlin started to hear from women who were the recipients of the notes. It was awesome to see what type of impact a positive note from a stranger could do to brighten someone’s day. You never know what someone may be going through and just that positivity put in their path can make a difference.

This is a book of stories that are compiled from woman all over that have become a part of the operation Beautiful movement along with Caitlin’s personal journey showing us how she was and who she has become! This book has seven chapters, the introduction, Fat Talk, Family and Friends, Fitness, Food, Faith and going forward. This is an excerpt taken from the introduction: “Women are so attracted to Operation Beautiful for one reason: It works. Operation Beautiful is a positive, uplifting act that stamps out negative self-talk and encourages you to be the best version of yourself. The mission has nothing to do with how you look. It has nothing to do with your weight. Operation Beautiful is about who you are intrinsically as a person. It is about celebrating your unique personality, loving yourself fully, and letting go of any negativity that weighs you down. Whether you are the person posting the message or finding the note, Operation Beautiful transforms the way you see yourself. Operation Beautiful is about one simple truth: You are beautiful… just the way you are!”

I know personally that I have days when I feel so negative and off balance, it’s an emotional, mental and physically draining feeling. I have full days that I dedicate to working FT, being a wife, mother of four and also running a small business. I get lost in everything else and forget about me. I do have my insecurities that I struggle with daily and reading this book made me look deep inside and recognize what needs to change, first and foremost the way I think and what I think about myself. This is definitely a book I would recommend for every woman. We as women have different issues that we struggle with and I feel reading this book and the various subjects that it touches has something in it for every woman. Please visit Operation Beautifuls Website for more information.

error: Ask And You Shall Receive!!