What does beauty look like to you?
I have been doing a LOT of work in the area of FEELING beautiful from the inside out and friends, and I finally feel like I’m at a point where God has been breaking chains! Let me be clear - I’m not out of the woods completely! There is a LOT of baggage in the area of body image that I’ve carried over the years and I still have skeletons in my closet yet my load is so much more lighter than it has been in the past! Praise God!!
To get to this point - it’s really been a journey, friends. I have had to lay down SO many things! Old stories that I have needed to LET GO of and new truths that I’ve needed to replace them with. Truths about who I REALLY am and where my worth comes from. What I choose to expose myself to and who I choose to surround myself with. What I pour into my body, mind and spirit.
Here is a quick hit list of what I stopped doing and what I started doing instead:
I STOPPED:
Weighing myself incessantly. I can’t remember the last time I stepped on a scale.
Tracking my food or counting calories
Dieting all together
Trying to ‘look the part’ - whatever form that took (e.g. runner, fitness instructor, corporate career woman)
Caring about how fast I was or what my pacing was on a run (I recently fired my running coach! Not because she wasn’t awesome - but because I just couldn’t follow a program without being obsessive)
Saying yes to ‘all the things’ because I didn’t want to let anyone down
Doing things out of guilt
INSTEAD I:
Eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full
Practice balance - nourish my body with good things while also enjoying treats and things that I love to eat
Practice joy when I run. I am getting back to why I love to run to begin with - and that is to be closer to and talk with God. I love listening to sermons and podcasts when I run, yet I also love to run in silence to listen to and talk with God
Celebrate my uniqueness and relish in doing/being ‘different’ - by practicing loving my strong thick legs that carry me through all the miles or by wearing the leopard satin skirt to the office!
Fill my mind and spirit with the truths of the bible every morning that tell me who I am, why I was created, what my purpose is, and how loved I am - JUST as I AM
Spend the time I have with those I love the most and those that give me energy (vs. deplete it!)
Practice letting my ‘yes’ be my BEST yes and letting my ‘no’ be a firm no
Y’all - while these shifts have been absolutely amazing to FINALLY be feeling progress - please know that they are still a work in progress! I have days where I get frustrated if I’m feeling a little bloated and want to immediately join weight watchers. OR when I find myself saying ‘yes’ to something that I really did not want to do.. YET - over time, I can FEEL myself feeling SO much more confident in who I am and in my TRUE worth which honestly, feels BEAUTIFUL.
I recently asked friends, family, community members, and those on social media - this question: What does beauty mean to you? What does ‘beautiful’ look and feel like? Here are a few responses I received back:
Genuine
Confident
Powerful
Comfortable
Flow
Strength
Joy
Grace
Integrity
Inner Beauty
Poise
Love
Innocence
Healed
Gratitude
Kindness
Selflessness
Messy
Redemption
Soulful
Unconditional love
Respect
Can we just stop for a minute and take all of this in?
Absolutely NONE of these words or concepts has anything to do with the size of your jeans, if your hair is frizzy, or how fast you run. Every single concept here is a reflection of who you ARE on the INSIDE. Because who you are on the INSIDE is what radiates OUT to the world.
When you see a beautiful woman - take a moment and stop to really look into her eyes and gaze a bit into her soul. Look at how she moves and how she carries herself. Looks at how she interacts with others. Look at how she acknowledges others. Do you see that same beauty? Does it captivate you? Do you see the deep love of Christ in her? Do you see the beautiful light of her soul?
THAT, my friends, is what TRUE BEAUTY is all about. We are ALL a work in progress. Yet, for me - my prayers these days are more about my character and the love in my heart than about the size of my jeans. If this is you too, or if you too would like to join me on this journey toward beauty from the inside out, then download this quick printable here on 5 ways you can do just that!
xoxo