a breakthrough with beauty
“BEAUTY, ABOVE ALL ELSE, CALLS FORTH WONDER.”
The word “beauty” means something different to almost anyone you talk to. When we hear that word, our minds typically go to the physical and the feminine. Maybe you envision a woman’s wrinkle-free face, or a beautiful figure, or beautiful lashes. ;) When we read it in the context of this quote, we probably visualize something from nature like a waterfall or a sunset, or maybe a Monet.
Whatever the iteration of beauty we experience, it’s personal and vulnerable. We feel like when we personally experience beauty found in nature for example, it is superior to how others experience it. We might not have broken it down in that way but think about it. Seeing snow-capped mountains or the expanse of the ocean feels like no one could possibly know what this experience means to you, right now, at this moment. No one has experienced it like you have. Experiencing beauty is incredibly personal.
Living with our own physical beauty is raw and complex. It can make people feel euphoric and empowered, and it can make people feel burdened. It can be triggering. It can open up deep wounds.
That’s what our society has done, right? From the moment we (particularly as women) are born, we are fighting to protect our beliefs about beauty without even knowing it. I don’t have to list out the grievances our culture has placed on beauty standards. The fact that there is a standard for beauty is enough to make every woman alive hate something about themselves. And if you don’t, you’ve had to fight to get there.
I’ve fought to get to the place that the quote in this photo describes: wonder. To wonder about my own beauty. To wonder about the beauty of others. To un-complicate it and view it through a pure lens.
It’s easy to see beauty in nature. We’re surrounded by beauty when we go for a hike, or when we sit in front of a glistening ocean. We can read it on a page of artfully strung together words. We see it when we watch an actor deliver a line perfectly, with their whole being. We see it easily in others. The point is, it is literally everywhere, and it is easy to find it and experience it and see it everywhere… EXCEPT within. Why? It has largely been hindered, mocked, criticized, belittled, suppressed. The list is endless. Society has put up walls and limitations and have made it nearly impossible to access. We have to breakthrough all of the lies to fully own it it within us.
When beauty is allowed to operate fully, it’s the most powerful thing in the world. The problem is, we often think it is others who decide when beauty is unlocked. This couldn’t be further from the truth. We have to be the ones to unlock it and allow it out of the darkness, because society is never going to stop, and they aren’t going to change their minds. When a person owns their beauty, just as they are, it is powerful. It requires growth, and I’d argue that true beauty IS growth. It is the process that makes beautiful… not the end result.
Free and empowered beauty is wonderful. It is awe-inspiring. It calls to a deep part of our souls that shouts, “I am whole. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Just as I am. Now.”
Beauty professionals are gatekeepers to beauty. We have the opportunity to usher women into experiencing their own beauty, sometimes for the first time. We get to set the tone, help tear down those walls and kill those lies. What an honor! It is truly a gift we have that we get to share.
How are you owning your own beauty? Does it stir up wonder in your soul? What lies do you need to silence? What steps are you going to take to grow?
I have a few books on personal development in general that I LOVE that I’ll link below, as well as a couple on beauty and faith. I want to know what your favorite resources are for growth or on anything about beauty! Let me know in comments or on IG!
Book recommendations FOR GROWTH AND LEADERSHIP
No particular order…
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
Get Over Your Damn Self by Romi Neustadt
Daring Greatly and Dare to Lead by Brene Brown (or anything by her, really)
Anything by John C. Maxwell
Anything by Dr. Caroline Leaf
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEAUTY, SELF-LOVE, AND FAITH
No particular order…
Women Food and God, by Geneen Roth
There I Am: The Journey from Hopelessness to Healing, by Ruthie Lindsey
On Beauty and Faith, by Alabaster Co.
Present Over Perfect, by Shauna Niequist
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Peter Scazzero
I would love to hear about some books you’ve read along these lines!