Thursday, May 2, 2013

Beauty within, beauty without...


As you know, I did a nutritional cleanse during the month of April.  Through the process, I have reemerged as a new person.  There is nothing that makes someone feel better than getting proper nutrition and doing something positive for themselves.  And as I started seeing results, I started becoming happier, more positive, and content.  The stress I felt before as a mother was off the charts.  Poor nutrition, addiction to coffee, and bad food choices was not working for me as a person.  But now, I’m here, on the other side, and feeling like I did years and years ago.  Before mortgages, bills, spilled milk and crusty crumbs, was a person looking for something more.  Here I am.  Thank you Isagenix.  I found it through the month of April. 
April showers bring May flowers…
Beauty is an inward relationship that someone has with themselves.  That is why I have to agree with these Dove campaigns.  They show women every shape and size and the fact that they are beautiful. Because there is nothing more beautiful than someone who is happy within themselves.  I believe in the message of building self-esteem for our children as well.  While I don’t agree with making outward appearance an issue, I do believe that someone has to feel good about themselves on the inside to be happy and emerge as beautiful outside. 
What will I teach my daughters?
My 3 (almost 4) year old daughter rubbed my arm and told me, “Mom, you look skinny.”  YIKES!  While I know that she doesn’t exactly know what that means.  I’m sure she heard someone else telling me that recently since I lost weight, but I did stop dead in my tracks.  “Thank you,” I said, “you know that means I’m strong right?”  “Right, “she said, “Because you exercise.”  “Yes,” I said, “I exercise to stay healthy.”  I don’t want the word “skinny” in her brain as something she must fight for.  I just want her to be her and try and be healthy as she grows.  I also want to help build self-esteem any way I can.  Building self-esteem is an every day job.  I am sure I make mistakes but I know I try to give her lifts as we move through our day.    
When she asked me the other day if she looked beautiful, I told her she is beautiful because she is kind to others and happy and that makes someone beautiful.
The people I find most beautiful in my life are the ones that look me in the eye and smile.
The ones that can give someone else a lift, are the ones I find amazingly perfect.  After all, you don't remember what someone looked like when you leave, you remember how they made you feel.
Dove is on the right track.  With daughters, you start to scrutinize messages out there.  I know we cannot shelter them from these messages but we can react and teach by using them.  I really don’t want her to pay attention to the Victoria Secret ads out there.  I don’t want her growing up wearing the underwear they are making for children now.  I’m not going to get up in arms about it, but I won’t buy it for them.  There are standards about beauty that we must set for our children.  And not just the girls.  Parents of boys have a greater responsibility to teach their sons about respect and what they should look for in someone else.  We, as parents, have the ability to make this country great, by teaching our children about value, respect, and what being beautiful really means.
My girls love princesses and dress up because it makes them happy.  I would never take that away from them because after all, it is their happiness that I find most beautiful.
I know I lost weight and I’m happy about it.  I will try to not make it all about that.  I will try instead to make it about how I feel inside!  For me, losing weight has helped me find something inside that might have been missing before.  Getting out of the rut, feeling strong and healthy, is something that everyone should strive for…
And being beautiful will shine out when happiness and health are one.

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