Challenge 12, Part 1: EMBRACE

I love this quote.  I found it somewhere, likely on pinterest, and it fits beautifully into this week's topic.  So often I shy away from myself, and even more so, from what could be considered "beautiful" about me.  I kind of like being different, but in the past, I've always seen it as a negative thing.  Like, I'm the one who is always sick.  I'm the one who is always having an allergic reaction to the smallest things.  I'm the one who brakes out in hives at the thought of eating specific foods.  I'm the one who likes a quiet night in, instead of a busy night out.  I'm different.  I just never thought that my differences could be worth embracing..... my "you"ness would be worth value to this world.....

It's nice to start thinking about the possibilities out there.... that maybe one day my differences won't make me feel bad about myself, instead, they'll be something I embrace as me and who I am.  And eventually, I might even find a way to be proud of those differences.... baby steps.... baby steps....

Challenge 7, Part 6: Beauty

For my final post in the Beauty week, I'm going to pull together a few old posts on the topic, and intersperse a few new quotes too.  I hope that when I revisit these posts, I'll be able to look back and believe they apply to me... believe that beauty does describe me, not just inside, but outside, too.  Thank goodness there is no time limit on inner work... cause it is going to take a long time to get there, but my team is pretty positive I'll make it... and they haven't been wrong yet!

Anyway... here are some past ponderings on the topic...

October 2011: What is Beauty?

March 2012: The B Word

April 2012: Beauty

June 2012: Soul    Face

August 2012: Health & Beauty

I like this quote in the topic of beauty, because I think we tend to close our eyes to what we really see, and stop looking for the beauty because we are so sure we won't find it within ourselves.  But as this quote says, when we look carefully.... those secrets that are hidden everywhere?  Chances are pretty good that they'll reveal the true beauty in which you didn't even realize you were looking for....

I really like this quote by Thoreau... because again, it is so true!  We can choose to see things however we'd like - meaning, if I am in a good mood, I tend to notice positive qualities- kindness, beauty, grace.... But if I'm crabby?  I see ugly, heartless negativity.  So look at this picture?  What do you see?  The beautiful sunset?  Pine trees glowing from the backlight of the clouds?  The telephone poles off in the distance that allow communication to happen so effortlessly?  Or do you see the stop sign?  What else can you see?  Do you see the beauty?

Challenge 7, Part 5: Beauty

I don't know about you, but there are sooooo many quotes out there swirling around the subject of beauty.  This one struck me because it mentions nothing of appearance or accomplishment.  Instead, it emphasizes that beauty is who we are when we are at our best.  Which means we can ALL be beautiful, despite what we might think, or what a number might say.  If we are working to be the best version of ourselves, and that radiates from the inside out.... well then, we are beautiful.  You, my beautiful reader, are being the best version of you, and that is true beauty.