I started thinking about being beautiful earlier this week when my 5 year old daughter asked me to paint her nails so that she would "be pretty like the other girls in her class". Not to brag, but my daughter really is quite beautiful and doesn't need nail polish to be pretty. My hope for her is that she will grown-up with the confidence she needs to say, "I am beautiful" and believe it!
My mom never taught me how to "be pretty". Because of this I am 35 years old and never wear make-up, have a hairstyle that requires only a hairbrush, and am still struggling with compliments that others give me about my weight loss and new clothing.
In addition to my mom not being into "being pretty" I stopped taking pride in myself early on in childhood. I remember in 4th grade thinking that I was fat and needed to lose weight. I wasn't fat in 4th grade, but I was tall. I was always the tallest kid in class until 8th or 9th grade. I was easily 5'8" in 6th grade. Tall does not equal fat or BIG! It's taken me 20 months and 161 pounds to figure this out. I am tall, but I am not big.
The only beautiful you are allowed to be when you are overweight is a "pretty face". I spent my entire teen and young adult years being told that I had a pretty face. That statement always made me cringe. I didn't want to have a pretty face~ I wanted to be beautiful. So...what makes me beautiful????
- I am beautiful because I am dedicated to my own personal health~ I have made serious commitments to nutrition and physical fitness. These commitments don't change because I'm in a bad mood, would rather sit on the couch, or just plain don't want to. Through this weight loss journey I have discovered a determination and level of commitment that I never knew was possible.
- I am beautiful because of my commitment to family~ Family is a top priority to me and I work hard to foster relationships with my immediate and extended family. I am a darn good Mommy, wife, daughter and sister.
- I am beautiful because I am great friend~ I don't have a lot of close friends, but those that are close to me know that I will be there in times of joy and times of sorrow. I am an encouraging and supportive friend. I love to see my friend succeed and I mourn with them when they struggle.
- I am beautiful because I don't wear make-up and still look darn good~ That's right! I don't need a ton of make-up or fancy curls in my hair to make me physically beautiful. Have I mentioned my collar bones? Those are beautiful! I also have very shapely calf muscles. There is nothing wrong with physical beautiful. My point is that physical beauty is not thing only thing that makes us beautiful. Let me say that again~ Physical beauty is not thing only thing that makes us beautiful!
- I am beautiful because I am a child of God and He doesn't make junk. :)
What makes you beautiful?
Love this post Kari!
ReplyDeleteKari,
ReplyDeleteGood job on reminding yourself of all the things that make you beautiful... you ARE a great friend, wife, mother, sister and daughter! I am so blessed to call you friend. Looking forward to boxing with you!
As for the class participation you requested, I have to say I'm still working on finding this out for myself. I weigh more than I did 2 years ago and I struggle to not define myself by that. I'll steal your last bullet, for sure - God does not make junk! I also think that I have huge devotion to my family and that is a big part of what makes me beautiful. And my smile never shows the extra 10 pounds, so as long as I keep smiling, that helps me feel beautiful. Being peaceful in my relationship with God is the major thing that keeps me smiling. Praise God for His faithfulness!