Real Beauty message

 

seena+style

 

Real Beauty by Seena      

I was at the hair salon recently, sitting in the waiting area listening to the chatter around me. Above the din of blow dryers I could hear my stylist, Jeff, talking as he worked with another client. I'm not sure if he realized he was being sagacious at that moment, but he was uttering words of wisdom. What I heard was: ...that's the thing isn't it? At some point all this physical stuff changes and goes away - our hair colour, our figures, our looks - and what we're left with are qualities that  define us: charm, confidence and humour. That's ultimately what makes someone attractive anyway. That's real beauty.

Wow. Were truer words ever spoken?

I've been reflecting on his words ever since. How much time do we spend thinking 'when I've lost 15 lbs..., when I have more time..., when I ________.' Yet the clock keeps on ticking. Wrinkles are slowly etching themselves around our eyes. Try as we might we can't control it. We can work with it, though. We can make the best of what we've got at this moment and be grateful it's not any worse.

That leads to thinking about all the mental energy expended trying to do just that. When really, isn't that energy better spent on those internal qualities, that je ne sais quoi, that will become the real definition of ourselves as we look back twenty or more years from now? Because I know, and I think you know, Jeff is right. Can't we tell when someone lacks confidence? Doesn't that make their glow a little less bright? And who would you rather surround yourself with, sourpusses or people who make you laugh and smile? The same goes for our friends. So yes, looking good is important. After all, it makes us feel good. But as my wise Grandma used to say, take one last look in the mirror before you leave the house. Fix your hair and your lipstick. And then forget about it. There are more exciting things on the other side of the door.


__________________


Thank you so much Seena for sharing here.  Resonated with me this morning and know other women would appreciate it.
Good luck and be well in Canada!

Happy 100th Birthday Girl Scouts!

Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media News

• Celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouting
  As a proud partner of the Girl Scouts' Healthy MEdia: Commission on Positive Images of Women and Girls, we wish the Girl Scouts of the USA a happy 100th anniversary! This month, news organizations across the county, such as The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post and the Chicago Tribune, are honoring the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the USA.
  
  As the Girl Scout blog notes, a century ago, Juliette Gordon Low assembled 18 girls in Savannah, Ga., for the first local Girl Scout meeting. She believed that all girls should be given the opportunity to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually. Today, Girl Scouts of the USA has a membership of over 3.2 million girls and adults in every residential U.S. zip code and in 90 countries. Nearly 60 million living women in the U.S. today are Girl Scout alumnae.
  
  What is especially important about the Girl Scouts' rich history of supporting women's leadership is their insistence on being a voice for all girls, regardless of their background or neighborhood. Founder Juliette Gordon Low's first 18 Girl Scouts included girls from influential Savannah families, as well as girls from the Female Orphan Asylum and Congregation Mickve Israel. As early as 1917 the first African-American troops were established, as well as troops for disabled girls. One of the earliest Latina troops was formed in Houston in 1922; Girl Scout troops supported Japanese-American girls in internment camps in the 1940s, and by the 1950s, Girl Scouts was leading the charge to fully integrate all of its troops.
  
  Girl Scouting continues to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. We are proud to partner with our Girl Scout friends in building women leaders for the next 100 years     

The Body Image Project - Welcome Jill Beilke Author - Activist

Why “The Body Image Project?”

Curiosity.  That’s how it began.  The constant wondering if others had similar thoughts and insecurities regarding their body image as I did mine.

Of course, the answer is yes.  But to what level?

All stories have a courageous power…and I wanted to help women and girls find their voice.  So I posed the question, “When you look in the mirror, what do you see?”  And with each new entry, I discovered manifestations of truth.  Women and girls no longer silent about their pain (or joy).  Women and girls relieved to learn they are not alone.

There is power in sharing.  We are given the opportunity to learn from the words, wisdom and pain of others.  And we are given the opportunity to change perceptions.

ALL stories have a courageous power.

Leave the quick fix in the dust! Day 4

I started my day well, despite Storm Nicole blowing us all around.  Yes, it was raining, and raining and the more I was thinking of how much it was raining, how sloshy the rain is, how cold and damp the rain would feel on my skin, how much work I had, decisions to make and people to reach out to.  I realized an old pattern tried to creep in...procrastination.
Believe me I am so happy I am running, when I went to bed last night I felt proud I was putting me first but as quickly as this morning, amazing to see sabotage attempting to knock my good feelings down a notch.  I will just need to be more aware and make sure I make a point to bee line it straight from drop off to my routine. 

I so do not have time to waste, but this morning instead I...

1. went to Starbucks to grab a treat coffee (I make mine at home most of the time, this time it was a stalling technique)

2. went to Kmart to pick up winter boots. (could have been done after my "Fully Fit work out" time that I have now scheduled into my calendar: 8:30am-10am, shower included) but hey, I was on auto pilot, repeating an old pattern...
tick tick tick the time went and without knowing, an hour slipped by.

Finally  I checked in with myself and said, drive....just drive to the reservoir, get out of the car, lock the car, now RUN.  You heard me RUN...(I am one of "those", I talk to myself, also).

What's up?  About to give myself permission to skip out on my daily gift of exercise because of a little rain (its not soup falling on your head for God sake!)...really, Emme! 

I called myself a duck, waddling down the rain soaked path and brought it back to an encouraging comment.  "I'm a duck, but a running, committed duck", (I cracked myself up)  "not many out on a day like today", "I actually like the rain" and so on till I was done with my loop.

Thank YOU for helping me mark another day on my calendar in honor of my goddessness and health!   Glad to know I am not alone in this effort to find balance!

gratitude for little things:
Hats off to my comfy Ryka running shoes (size 11 mind you!) and trusty Columbia rain baseball cap with back flap...those two items made a difference today.

Zen and the art of yoga and shoveling dirt!

Started my day with getting to yoga class. The first Saturday in a very long time. Tight hamstrings!! Forward bends now feel like I'm beginning all over again. My periformus muscle injury from 8 months ago will take time to heal...a matter of my ego saying I could do a bind (when you twist like a pretzel and clasp your hands together, at least try to with out falling over) when in fact, I should never have gone as deep as I should. Going back a few steps is the price I have to pay, honoring time to heal.

Life is really taking one step at a time, being present and not letting everything get you tied up in the enormity of it all...and giving ourselves time to heal.

Right now, I'm working on focusing on what is right in front of me instead of being caught up with the big picture. (so many people have creative ideas, but very few actualize their dreams because doing the actual work toward the goal is the hardest part). This is just like building a better self image or applauding one's body for all it does.

I know I feel better mentally when I work out regularly, even when I don't have the time, I must make the time. Additionally, by preparing fresh fruits and veggies in ways that are not only visually pleasing but tasty is the key for me to stay at a healthy weight (as well eating balanced portions numerous times during the day, a variety of foods and not leaving out occasional good for you sweets)...lastly, remembering that "The Big Picture" (especially when rebuilding life/career/romantic relationships) can't be achieved unless we take steps toward it. Not to let fear push away opportunities, open doors, and basically not allowing myself to get in my own way.

It takes time and effort to see what greatness we already possess and even more determination to see ourselves as the best YOU/WE/I can be.

My goal with this blog is to share how I try to achieve life balance. This will be my real journey and it's function is to throw out a life line, to make you feel less alone along this never ending body image and self esteem road to self discovery. No one has this mastered. In fact, it is a life long series of lessons of trial and error.

It is my hope that my journey to improve my own body image and self esteem will spill over not only to my family, personal life and career, but will motivate a spark in you, to challenge what life throws at you and find answers that suit you and your life best.

Next, eating lunch and shoveling mulch around my front yard!