The last several posts that I have written all seem to be about health and wellness and yet “Beauty” is in the title of my blog. So where’s the beauty piece, you might ask. Well before we talk about beauty, I think it’s important to talk about what real beauty means…according to me that is. The beauty I am referring to is not the beauty that the media wants us to buy into. The beauty that I am talking about is not limited to a size 2, blond hair or a C cup. The beauty that I am talking about is not limited to a particular racial or ethnic group, social class or sexual orientation. The beauty that I’m referring to is not measured by other people or society in general, it’s measured by YOU. So what am I talking about then?
Here are just some of the things that I think are beautiful about women: A woman being pregnant with a baby she cannot wait to love. Girlfriends taking the time to hang out together, love one another and support each other. A woman relaxing on the couch with a clay mask on her face and mint lotion on her feet simply because she knows she deserves to be pampered. A mother nursing her child. A woman who offers the gift of her smile to the homeless man she walks by rather than putting her head down and pretending like he does not exist. A woman taking the time to put lotion on after she gets out of the shower because she appreciates and respects her naked body, regardless of her size. A mother playing with her children in the park. A woman who starts her day feeling confident and optimistic because she knows that she has something great offer. Women celebrating each other’s achievements rather than tearing each other down or competing with one another. A woman who cherishes her skin, heart, and mind all the same because she knows they are all connected and valuable. A woman who recognizes the value of helping other people.
This is the kind of beauty that I am talking about. How is this kind of beauty connected to health and wellness? Because, as you may have guessed, this kind of beauty affects how you feel. When you feel beautiful in the ways that I’ ve described, or your own definition of beauty, you feel happier and more fulfilled. When you spend the time to take care of your body, you are simultaneously taking care your soul. When you value other people’s happiness and wellbeing, you automatically begin to value your own. Think about a woman you have run into or know who is always negative. She tears other people down, she is quick to criticize, she constantly complains about her life, or she’s a bit (or a lot) self-centered. Regardless of how she physically looks, do you consider her beautiful? And now, to the contrary, think about a woman who is positive, optimistic, fun-loving, incredibly kind, funny as hell, really thoughtful, sensitive or very generous. Regardless of how she physically looks, do you consider her beautiful? Don’t get me wrong…we all have our days where we don’t feel positive, kind, generous, etc. That’s Ok...we are all human. (Acceptance, remember?? J) This is not about being perfect. This is about respecting and appreciating who we are and the body that we have. And the more we can do that, the more beautiful we will feel and the happier we will be.
The last several posts that I have written all seem to be about health and wellness and yet “Beauty” is in the title of my blog. So where’s the beauty piece, you might ask. Well before we talk about beauty, I think it’s important to talk about what real beauty means…according to me that is. The beauty I am referring to is not the beauty that the media wants us to buy into. The beauty that I am talking about is not limited to a size 2, blond hair or a C cup. The beauty that I am talking about is not limited to a particular racial or ethnic group, social class or sexual orientation. The beauty that I’m referring to is not measured by other people or society in general, it’s measured by YOU. So what am I talking about then?
Here are just some of the things that I think are beautiful about women: A woman being pregnant with a baby she cannot wait to love. Girlfriends taking the time to hang out together, love one another and support each other. A woman relaxing on the couch with a clay mask on her face and mint lotion on her feet simply because she knows she deserves to be pampered. A mother nursing her child. A woman who offers the gift of her smile to the homeless man she walks by rather than putting her head down and pretending like he does not exist. A woman taking the time to put lotion on after she gets out of the shower because she appreciates and respects her naked body, regardless of her size. A mother playing with her children in the park. A woman who starts her day feeling confident and optimistic because she knows that she has something great offer. Women celebrating each other’s achievements rather than tearing each other down or competing with one another. A woman who cherishes her skin, heart, and mind all the same because she knows they are all connected and valuable. A woman who recognizes the value of helping other people.
This is the kind of beauty that I am talking about. How is this kind of beauty connected to health and wellness? Because, as you may have guessed, this kind of beauty affects how you feel. When you feel beautiful in the ways that I’ ve described, or your own definition of beauty, you feel happier and more fulfilled. When you spend the time to take care of your body, you are simultaneously taking care your soul. When you value other people’s happiness and wellbeing, you automatically begin to value your own. Think about a woman you have run into or know who is always negative. She tears other people down, she is quick to criticize, she constantly complains about her life, or she’s a bit (or a lot) self-centered. Regardless of how she physically looks, do you consider her beautiful? And now, to the contrary, think about a woman who is positive, optimistic, fun-loving, incredibly kind, funny as hell, really thoughtful, sensitive or very generous. Regardless of how she physically looks, do you consider her beautiful? Don’t get me wrong…we all have our days where we don’t feel positive, kind, generous, etc. That’s Ok...we are all human. (Acceptance, remember?? J) This is not about being perfect. This is about respecting and appreciating who we are and the body that we have. And the more we can do that, the more beautiful we will feel and the happier we will be.