What's Inside?

 

Photo by Janet Puddicombe

We all know women who would do just about anything to be beautiful ... wear the latest fashions, get the trendiest hair cut, apply the right shades of makeup, buy the newest fast-acting wrinkle banishing creams or do diet after diet.

Many women struggle with this misplaced feeling of identity. It’s the feeling that you have to constantly strive for that picture of perfection in order to be accepted and loved. All this striving and chasing after a false image is exhausting. There is always something or someone new to compare yourself with or measure up to ... does it ever end?

Let’s evaluate ourselves. What is your definition of true beauty? Are you using all the little things on the outside to cover up something you don’t like on the inside? Let us embrace the unique woman that each of us are; instead of trying to impress others, let us choose to be happy with ourselves first. Let us work on things of inner beauty like forgiveness, compassion, kindness, and charity. These things bring beauty to the soul that resonates outwardly for others to see. These qualities are far more precious than any product we can buy at a store.

Consider how great the world, or even our communities, would be if we chose to work on our hearts instead of our looks. Think of the confidence and independence our daughters could have with that kind of example to look up to. Let us start with ourselves, and you never know what kind of wonderful things could come of it!

By Bobbie Messmore, President and Founder of thejewels.org