Monday, September 5, 2011

Beautiful You

Whether it is comparing yourself to a peer or to a model in a magazine, you should remember one thing: inner beauty is what truly matters. Easier to say than to believe? Definitely. Our world puts ridiculous pressure on young women (and men too, for that matter) to strive for perfection.

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." - 1 Peter 3:3-4

"Aiming for perfection" is one thing that I personally have struggled with. I have slowly learned that beauty is in the people and circumstances put into our lives. Beauty in the heart is much more valuable (and often more truthful) than that of an outer appearance.

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." - Prov. 31:30

I was raised on the saying "Pretty is as pretty does." I used to become upset when I would hear it, (as it was usually being said to me when I was throwing a temper tantrum). Now, however, I realize that if my heart is in the right place, my actions will most likely reflect it. If you ever find yourself second guessing your beauty, I challenge you to do the following:

Read the following scripture aloud: 
"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14
God made you the way he wanted. He is perfection, and therefore you are exactly how you should be.

Believe in yourself:
You are made to walk in His footsteps. He has given you a purpose, and you must believe that you can fulfill it.. because no one else can but YOU.

Realize that beauty portrayed in today's world is often misleading:
Forget about weight, trendy clothing, and lipstick; Focus on kindness, humbleness, and authenticity. There is only one you, cherish that fact!

Steer away from conformity:
The stages of "self-discovery" are always difficult, but be comfortable in your own skin -- don't try to borrow someone else's!

Don't let anyone tell you that you are not pretty enough:
Many times girls feel the need to paint on make-up and construct a flawless "hair-do" to impress guys. On the flip side, many times boys will tell us that we are "too big" or "too skinny" or "too crooked" for their type. Just remember, there will be guy who will love you for exactly who you are -- imperfections included. It may seem like an endless search (trust me, I'm still waiting this one out), but it will happen, as long as you truly believe in your heart, that you are beautiful.

Express yourself in the best way you know how:
Whether it's through what you wear, what you like to do, or simply how you carry yourself, be confident when you shine your beauty. It may not be someone else's interpretation of true beauty, but remember their interpretation is probably not yours either.

Let someone else know that they are beautiful, and precious to you:
Kindness is contagious. Drop a simple note letting someone know you appreciate their kind heart, or beautiful spirit. (You'll be amazed at how much this affects your own attitude.)

Again, you were all made for a different purpose-- a purpose that was created just for you.

"There are two great days in a person's life- the day they are born and the day they discover why." - William Barclay

Do not let the distractions of this world keep you from finding the reason you were created!
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL -- Don't forget it!

Attached is a song (one of my favorites) that has helped me through a lot -- hopefully it can do the same for you.

6 comments:

  1. I love you Lish! You're the best... Thanks for this. <3

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Kels (and you are so welcome). I love you too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. E, so true. All of it. So many of us struggle so hard with this, it's a wonder we don't just let it all go so we can all BREATHE a second! Lately, I've become so almost bored of scrutinizing myself that I've taken to scrutinizing others I see. I mean like, "what makes this person attractive or unattractive in our society's eyes? Why is it this way? And does that have much at all to do with what kind of person she or he is? Or anything to do with his or her true value?" And then the whole "outside perfection" thing just feels like this unnecessary, weird mystery of our social structure.

    I read a blog that is relevant to this that might interest you: http://www.bjgofficial.com/2011/08/how-to-talk-to-little-girls.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. Elisha I sent this to my daughter to read. Very inspiring words. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kayla, I read that blog you suggested -- definitely inspiring! It was eye-opening for me, because I am in that situation constantly with my niece. She is a beautiful little girl, and that is usually one of the first things that comes out of my mouth when I see her. I will keep this message in mind next time I visit her, and see what kind of reaction it leads to! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. (Hey, it's Dray. :)
    "Just remember, there will be guy who will love you for exactly who you are -- imperfections included."

    Heck yeah! And he won't even consider them imperfections!

    Also, I read that article Kayla posted and I think it's great. It's so wrong that all we know to say to little girls is how pretty they are, or how much we like their outfits. No wonder many grow up to only care about superficial things.

    ReplyDelete