We are all beautiful in our own way. No one person looks the same. We all have something different about her features that that makes us unique. Now in America we define beauty as a supermodel in the magazine, someone who is skinny, tall, no breakouts, perfect hair and and always dresses to impress. Those are just two in stereotypes that we have of models and and the magazines perpetuate them. The more you look at magazines that have models in them use their just saying why can't i look like them. Hold up the models picture you envy next to yours. Ask yourself you envy them so much and think I am beautiful. I know this is very hard to do as women. We all have one thing we wish we could change. Do you really want plastic surgery to change the real you. The real you is not perfectly photoshopped. It is impossible to be perfect all the time and live up to a supermodels beauty. What is most important here is that everyone's defnition of beauty is not the same. What is your definition?
Beauty comes in all different looks. We all have 2 different parents, genetics, ethnicities, height, weights etc... Even siblings born from the same parents can look different. All of those factors make you look different from your neighbor, friend, cousin, aunt, etc... Look around and say what makes you stand out. I am beautiful because of my .... We need to redefine at beauty really is. I challenge you to put down the magazines, look around and see the real. What is real, someone who has not had plastic surgery, never been photoshopped in a picture, etc..The real you is the best you. Here is an excersice to show your true self. Sit down facing your friend, mom, etc... Each person writes down a description of the other person. Write down what they look like today. Put the persons name above the description. Now flip the paper over. Write the same thing as above for yourself. Now flip the paper back over. Describe your partner and vice versa. Now flip the paper to the decsription of yourself and both of you will read each aloud. This excercise was to show you how others look at you and how you percieve yourself. These perceptions can change in a second. They are affected by the little things we do that seem so normal. With real beauty comes happiness.
I also challenge you to redefine this idea of beauty;in terms of social networking. Facebook came first and connected people with friends, family and the whole world. You can post photos and videos to the site. The profile picture is the one that people see first on your profile and you try to make it perfect. If we are not satisfied we do not make it into a profile picture. You can also post photos of events and holidays. I have noticed that people do not allow themselves to be tagged based on how they look. A very simple message has been going around for years: how the world sees you is more important than how you see yourself. Then came twitter and we are all focused on finding out things we are doing all day. The site is focused on tweets more than photos. That is what i liked about the site until.... one day instagram came along.
I found myself looking at peoples photos all the time. Now with the filters they provide are unique, covering up the real you. I love seeing the differences in hair, skin color, eye color, height etc.. in each photo. When browsing Instagram how do we know whats real and what is not. Is it capturing your image in the moments vs planning out photos. I like candid shots more than being artistic. Art covers up the real you, the no makeup, sweats, slippers you standing in front of the mirror. People should look in the mirror instead of keeping up with their online image. Sure having an image online may bring you happiness. It is only temporary compared to lifelong happiness. In the moment you get to pick and choose to get rid of pimples, wrinkles, fat etc... with apps. On the other end of the spectrum the photos show people enhanced with curly, straight hair, makeup, fake eyelashes etc.. A little enhancement can sometimes make you happy. They can make you more confident. Enhancements are only short lived,each time having to be redone. The makeup, hair etc... all cover up the real you. Ok mini challenge time, post photo with no makeup, natural hair (no extensions or weave or braids etc...) . Instead show scars, pimples, wrinkles, curves and more. # I am unique True beauty is being confident with your looks away from social media. You cannot allow likes and comments to influence your confidence. It is hard to look past one ugly comment in a sea of good ones. I do not want my beauty tarnished through social media.
Beauty comes in all different looks. We all have 2 different parents, genetics, ethnicities, height, weights etc... Even siblings born from the same parents can look different. All of those factors make you look different from your neighbor, friend, cousin, aunt, etc... Look around and say what makes you stand out. I am beautiful because of my .... We need to redefine at beauty really is. I challenge you to put down the magazines, look around and see the real. What is real, someone who has not had plastic surgery, never been photoshopped in a picture, etc..The real you is the best you. Here is an excersice to show your true self. Sit down facing your friend, mom, etc... Each person writes down a description of the other person. Write down what they look like today. Put the persons name above the description. Now flip the paper over. Write the same thing as above for yourself. Now flip the paper back over. Describe your partner and vice versa. Now flip the paper to the decsription of yourself and both of you will read each aloud. This excercise was to show you how others look at you and how you percieve yourself. These perceptions can change in a second. They are affected by the little things we do that seem so normal. With real beauty comes happiness.
I also challenge you to redefine this idea of beauty;in terms of social networking. Facebook came first and connected people with friends, family and the whole world. You can post photos and videos to the site. The profile picture is the one that people see first on your profile and you try to make it perfect. If we are not satisfied we do not make it into a profile picture. You can also post photos of events and holidays. I have noticed that people do not allow themselves to be tagged based on how they look. A very simple message has been going around for years: how the world sees you is more important than how you see yourself. Then came twitter and we are all focused on finding out things we are doing all day. The site is focused on tweets more than photos. That is what i liked about the site until.... one day instagram came along.
I found myself looking at peoples photos all the time. Now with the filters they provide are unique, covering up the real you. I love seeing the differences in hair, skin color, eye color, height etc.. in each photo. When browsing Instagram how do we know whats real and what is not. Is it capturing your image in the moments vs planning out photos. I like candid shots more than being artistic. Art covers up the real you, the no makeup, sweats, slippers you standing in front of the mirror. People should look in the mirror instead of keeping up with their online image. Sure having an image online may bring you happiness. It is only temporary compared to lifelong happiness. In the moment you get to pick and choose to get rid of pimples, wrinkles, fat etc... with apps. On the other end of the spectrum the photos show people enhanced with curly, straight hair, makeup, fake eyelashes etc.. A little enhancement can sometimes make you happy. They can make you more confident. Enhancements are only short lived,each time having to be redone. The makeup, hair etc... all cover up the real you. Ok mini challenge time, post photo with no makeup, natural hair (no extensions or weave or braids etc...) . Instead show scars, pimples, wrinkles, curves and more. # I am unique True beauty is being confident with your looks away from social media. You cannot allow likes and comments to influence your confidence. It is hard to look past one ugly comment in a sea of good ones. I do not want my beauty tarnished through social media.
I challenge you to look at beauty in terms of movies and TV shows. I want you to see who you look up to in movies and TV shows. There is a constant tug of war with beauty. It is hard to not see the perfect person or character. I look at Jennifer Lawrence and cannot see past her beauty. I want us to look past the outside and look inwards. These types of media are edited so much. These people are only playing a part: and that is not themselves. Think about that in terms of yourself. It is harder to imagine a person in Hollywood as a real person. We just think of them as puppets in a twisted maze. A maze of hair makeup, clothing, sets, lines, etc... out of all of those we typically think of the beauty side of it. Therefore in Hollywood we compare each other to the next celebrity. There so many shows about but red carpets and award shows that we tend to forget the real person. I feel like these are only making people compare themselves to a celebrity. It doesn't matter what hair or makeup a celebrity had on for an event. All that matters is what they did and how they need to be remembered for what is inside. Don't compare yourself be yourself.
Despite all these outside Influences and pressures; what makes you feel the most beautiful? When do you feel the most confident? What do you find beautiful?
I feel most beautiful when:
I wear clothes that fit my body shape.
I have hair combed
I am smiling
I have my natural hair with no straightener involved
I have moisturized and smooth skin
I embrace life as it comes
I find these things beautiful:
1.sunflowers growing in a garden
2.vintage decorations
3.the moon and stars
4.a person standing up for a cause (a.k.a Jane Goodall)
5.a handmade quilt
6.owls
7.nascar racing
And many more, just to name a few.
Stay Beautiful
