This one's for the girls

About a month ago, I started seeing some things differently. It was a drastic change that led to me thinking...a lot! The thinking led to me wanting to share my thoughts with others who might appreciate it. So here goes!

"Woman, female, lady  are nouns referring to adult human beings who are biologically female; that is, capable of bearing offspring. Woman  is the general term. It is neutral, lacking either favorable or unfavorable implication..."

This is where it all started. Lacking either favorable or unfavorable implication? I don't think so. Women are way too hard on themselves. And where does it stem from? From men? From a blurred view of supermodels and super-thin actresses? From a relative who constantly put them self down? It can come from anywhere. Being a woman myself, I feel like I can wholeheartedly express my view on this and (hopefully) not face too much criticism.

No matter what color, what size, what age, women are beautiful! But instead of focusing on this general statement, we find a need to pick. And then pick s'more. We focus on things we hate about our bodies, our facial features, our skin, and we pick. We put ourselves down. We can find a hundred things to love about another woman, but when it comes to our self, we can't find one. Why is this?

I don't have that answer for you. In my mind, I compare myself to others. But I am no one but myself, so how will I ever be pleased comparing myself to someone completely different?

So, after this really (finally!) started to sink in, I really started thinking.

I started by choosing one thing I like about myself. My smile. Something that can bring joy to others. With that realization, I started looking at my whole self differently. I started just seeing what I liked when I looked in the mirror. The bad could go away and never return, because I wasn't acknowledging it anymore. I thought it might last a couple of days, then I'd be back to putting myself down. But this change has stuck around for about a month now, and it's super refreshing!

I look around at all the beautiful women I know.

My mom is beautiful. She redefined age to me. Running her first marathon at almost 50 made me realize, there is no old! She inspires me all of the time.

My sister is beautiful. She manages to get prettier each year.

My friends are beautiful. They are different shapes, different sizes, different hair & skin color, but they are all beautiful.

I hope that someday I can pass this on to a daughter of my own.

I hope you can find one thing you like about yourself today that inspires a whole new view of yourself. You are beautiful.