Written by Michelle Robinson
I am glad to be sharing my thoughts about this month’s topic, because discovering beauty within ourselves can be one of our greatest life-challenges.
During my years as a counsellor, I worked with many people who could not believe that they were beautiful. They looked in a mirror and felt dissatisfied, or worse, with the physical form that they believed defined them. They didn’t feel as though they conformed to the attributes the word ‘beautiful’ represented, resulting in self-criticism and very low self-esteem.
That’s a real shame, because the stereotyped versions of ‘beauty’ fabricated by the social media do not even come close to the embodiment of true beauty.
I encourage you to go outside and have a look at the variety of ways that nature expresses itself. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
Wide-girthed trees shedding their bark, with their knotted branches and twisted forms – they are beautiful.
Craggy outcrops of rocks whose ageing lines stripe their weathered faces and portray a hard life long-lived – still beautiful.
Saggy-skinned elephants, riddled with wrinkles, whose stomachs wobble when they run and whose eyes are bleary with age – just as beautiful.
How did we humans come to this crazy belief that unless we conform to an air-brushed and artificially created version of ‘beauty’, that we are less than perfect?
If the universe had intended Life’ to conform to a single pattern and shape, then the entire natural environment has been creating itself in error since the beginning of time. And, it hasn’t.
Beauty is created through the simple strategy of growing into becoming the best versions of whomever we were born to be. It is as true for us as it is for nature. A full-faced sunflower never woke up one day and wanted to be a thin little daisy. Sunflowers know their place in the universe, and they just get on with being what they are – sturdy (thank goodness), sunny bursts of yellow happiness.
Judging by the way that daisies nod their heads in the breeze, I’d say they are happy enough with their lot as well. They aren’t pining for the lofty heights of the sunflowers. A daisy is just fine with being the innocent, sensitive flower who throws out joy towards the feet of passers-by.
I encourage you to find acceptance of your true self. Explore and value the uniqueness that is you. Be at peace with yourself. Place value on what matters and never judge the contribution you can make by the reflection in the mirror.
I enjoy sharing personal anecdotes when I can. I overheard my daughter, Abbie, having a chat with four-year-old Mille this week. While brushing Millie’s hair Abbie was reminding Millie that being kind was far more important than being thought beautiful by someone else. She told Millie that she was beautiful both inside and out, and that kindness is what made Millie most beautiful of all.
What a great lesson to be teaching to a child. Gosh I love these girls.
Have a wonderful month.
Until next time,
Blessings,
Michelle