What is Beautiful

What is Beautiful?

The Shine Project has tasked her readers this week with giving a definition of sorts as to what "Beautiful" is to us.  I love The Shine Project and her weekly challenges to make the world a better place.  Admittedly, this is the first challenge I will complete since starting to read her blog a few weeks ago, but I always have the best intentions on Mondays --- It's just making it come to fruition by Friday that seems to stand in my way!

This is a tough question.  Beauty is not really something one can define.  It comes in all shapes and sizes and is WAY more than skin deep.  I know so many of us have struggled with this definition, always believing the girl next to us is beyond any example of the definition while not ever putting ourselves in the same category.

I HATE THAT!

I see beauty every week.  Brides are beautiful.  ALL of them, they've worked their tales off making that day right.  They have struggled with the party decisions, decor, the dress, a diet/work out regimen that was most definitely taken to a new level from where it started after e-day, family dynamics, and much much more!

However, the brides that stay in my mind most after they are off to their honeymoon are the ones that have confidence on that day.  The ones that stay free of worrying about what they look like or if they planned everything to everyone else's liking and just relax.  I think the most beautiful women in this world are the ones that are confident in their own skin.  Thin, tall, small, large, black, yellow, white, orange, purple... doesn't matter.

Have you ever watched The Biggest Loser?  I love that show.

The show isn't awesome because of the body transformations though.  Admittedly, they are incredible, but what I love about that show is that every single one of those people is standing in their own way of enjoying their life.  Each one of them has lost their confidence in themselves and their knowledge that they deserve to live a happy life.  Yet every week you see them change, not just on the outside, but they slowly realize that there is a whole life out their that they were missing, hiding from in their own bodies.  You start to see them SHINE.

I cry every finale.  You see people that were such introverts standing on stage screaming and jumping and LIVING.

THAT is beauty. Living, truly living and enjoying your life.

Beauty

One last thing.  This video is old, and you've probably all seen it.  Yet every time I discuss beauty and people's perceptions of it I think of this video.  

You are beautiful, just the way you are.

Pass the message on

Love,

Susie Q