2019 May

The unfortunate thing about my past perception of
beauty is that it was fueled by my acceptance of others
opinions. Instead of being anchored in something
of substance, pure love and compassion. It wasn’t until
I began to grow spiritually and think about what
I believe the definition of beauty is, that I began my
journey to changing my beliefs. I have always been able
to see the beauty in others regardless of their physical
appearance, because that is not what I find valuable in
an individual. The ability to see someone and appreciate
them beyond their physical appearance, can only
happen when you don’t judge them and view them
with “Christ-like” compassion and love. Yet, for myself
I did not have the same compassion and clarity. My
need for perfection blinded me from seeing myself as
others. I believed that I had to have high standards and
be my toughest judge. There were times I would look
in the mirror I didn’t like what I saw, and spiral into a
cycle of negative self-talk, which led to believing that I
wasn’t enough. I felt ashamed in a sense, and I lacked
compassion for myself. Now I realize love of self is the
key. I don’t need to be my toughest judge or biggest
critic, I need to be the number one fan of myself! Finally,
I am beginning to feel confident in who I am, because
I understand that having compassion for myself
is paramount. I work to control my thoughts because
I believe in the power of the mind and that positive
self-talk can make a big impact in changing deep rooted
false beliefs. Me not seeing myself as beautiful was
a symptom of not loving myself, and lack of self-love is
like a ticking time bomb waiting to self-destruct. It can
affect your family and even professional relationships,
rearing its ugly head as egotism or jealousy. So I work
hard to focus on biblical concepts like “you are what
you think about”, because I know how important it
is to be my own best friend. In your own life, regardless
of what people have told you about yourself, you
need to take inventory of all the amazing things you
have accomplished, and understand whose you are
and place value on what’s important. Most of all have
compassion for yourself so you are able to appreciate
all the beauty you bring in to this world. That is where
you will find confidence and your inner beauty will
shine bright for all to see.
DERBY LOOK BOOK VOME 51