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Thursday, July 24, 2014

I wanna see you be brave!

Today my blog post is all about our beauty, as women. Today is also this gorgeous gals birthday. Lyndsie was my Maid of Honor in my wedding! She's the spoon to my jar of marshmallow fluff :) this girl is truly one of the most beautiful (inside and out) people I know. She has a flipping heart of gold, and I just don't know what I'd do without her!

Lyndsie and I have been friends for about 11 years now, which blows my mind. But it really made me think about how far we've each individually come as young women, since we've met. I've been really inspired lately by all of these beauty awareness campaigns that numerous companies have started. The obvious is Dove, but another favorite of mine now is Always' "Hit Like a Girl", which you can see the video here

I used to be very self conscious, I had terrible acne, glasses and braces at the same time, and very, very dry skin. I was the 'pudgiest', and didn't understand why I didn't have "cute, bony wrists" like all of my friends. I know the things people said about me in middle school and my transition into high school, well, it just wasn't pretty. As I got older though, I kinda said screw it. I wore tank tops, even though my shoulders were sprinkled with acne every season of the year...I wore my glasses even when I didn't feel like putting my contacts in, and I learned to rock my ever-peeling nose on picture day due to my dry skin (and the nosebleed I got on that same day).

It's campaigns like this that make me so proud to be a woman. Thankfully, meeting Caleb helped me with my confidence a lot. I used to worry about him ever seeing me without my make up caked on, or in the Winter when I'm more pale than a vampire.. but he's somehow learned to deal with me even when I wake up like this... and also learned to make me feel beautiful, and loved.
Hiiii Caleb. I took this today!
We're all beautiful in our own ways...and it makes me sad to think about the young girls who tear themselves down because they aren't a size 0, or because they don't have perfect skin. As women, these girls need role models who LOVE themselves.

 I've realized to just get over it, when Im tagged in a picture that doesn't flatter me... why should I let it bother me? I need to be happy in the skin God put me in, because this is the only life I get to live! I know its like the most famous quote now, but comparison truly is the thief of joy. We can't let it do that to us, ladies! So WHAT if my nose is bigger than hers, or my acne flared up the night before my wedding?! Or if my ankles aren't super skinny, or if my double chin always sneaks its way out when I take my snapchats... I am ME, and I'm happy with it.

I'm lucky enough to be alive, have legs that run, and a heart that beats. I don't ever want to take it for granted. So remember friends, you are SERIOUSLY beautiful.

21 comments:

  1. Love love love this post. You are gorgeous lady!!!

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  2. I think you're adorable! And I love this post :)

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  3. Happy birthday Lyndsie!! I hope she has something fun planned for her first Nashville birthday :)

    I love this post! I was the exact same way growing up. I would think "well if my hair was shinier or teeth were straighter/whiter" I would be much more prettier...and now I'm just learning to be comfortable in MY skin :) I love all the campaigns out there and I really do hope young girls today are taking something away from them. I can't imagine if there was facebook/twitter/instagram when I was growing up!

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  4. I love you and I love this post!! Beautiful writing straight from the heart. You, my dear, are one of the most beautiful women I know, inside and out!!! God sure knew what He was doing when He created you!!! Xoxo!

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  5. Yes you are very beautiful - even though I don't know you IRL, I know that you're a great person just from what I read here :)

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  6. I love when women build other women up instead of tearing them down! We're all too hard on ourselves!! Loving this post so so much :)

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  7. You are beautiful! I absolutely love this post and I do need to work harder on loving me :)

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  8. LOVE THIS POST!!! You are beautiful my dear.

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  9. Amen girl - I love this! Every woman/girl is beautiful regardless of the outside appearance. Thank you for sharing and embracing this :)

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  10. So cute!! Love this post girl!

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  11. Girlfriend, you're gorgeous!! And I LOVE this post!!

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  12. Yes, yes, yes! Wonderful post. You look absolutely gorgeous in every single one of those pictures! I've always struggled with my weight, but the older I get, the more I realize that the important thing is to feel happy and healthy. I'll never be as skinny as I'd like, but I can work to feel confident and healthy.

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  13. Love, love, love this blog post friend. You have a heart of gold and are as beautiful outside as you are on the inside. I am so thankful to know you and to watch you share your sweet kindness with so many of your clients and the students at your church.

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  14. Love this! You are beautiful inside and out. The world would really be a better place if we stopped nit-picking and owned our flaws!

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  15. Your skin is beautiful and I think that you radiate your inner beauty in EACH of these pictures! I love it!

    Thank you so much for linking up with us!

    -Kate
    www.theflorkens.com

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  16. Girl, when you said Screw it, you said it right, because you are working it! You're so naturally pretty and those glasses? Yes ma'am!!

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  17. love this message! i wish i had had the same self confidence throughout my super bad acne break out years... but instead i just found ways to hide it. you're gorgeous and inspiring!

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  18. I love how we can see your beauty really well in those funny face pictures.

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  19. I think you look great in those glasses. Plus you made me laugh all the way through that post! Goodness wasn't high school the worst. Glad you put this on the linkup.

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  20. you look great in all these photos and like you're having so much fun - love your smile!

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Thanks for your comments, I read and respond to every single one of them! :) Excited to get to know you!