Good afternoon y'all,
This past week I decided to take my kiddos for a girls day at a local water park. I have to admit I am not big on crowds or standing in line in the hot sun for an hour for a 2 minute ride lol. But, its summer and I thought it would be a fun day trip.
Now, I am no where near the image that appears on any old magazine cover. You know the one with a flawless model who is probably a size 2. I have dimpled skin and stretch marks, My body carried 2 babies only a year apart, my legs rub together when I walk (I'm no flamingo), I have signs of graying hair and I dont look as young as I once did. Those things always weigh on my mind when I look in the mirror, let alone in places like this.
I walked around the water park that was filled with every shape and size person you could imagine, however my eyes always seemed to linger a little longer at the bodies that were fit, the dimpleless legs and flat tummies. The ones who hair looked like they were straight out of a salon, not the wet dog look I was sure to be rocking.
I was finding myself jealous of the moms who had 3, 4, 5 kids with them but looked like swimsuit models. I wanted to hide myself behind my towel all day. That is until I saw my daughter with her arms crossed across her tummy as though trying to hide herself. My 13 year old beautiful daughter, a tall, legy blonde. The girl people probably wish they could look like. Yet, I know all too well how she was feeling, because it was the exact way I was in that moment.
Did I somehow teach her this? Did I unintentionally make my feelings about my own body and struggles with confidence known to my girls? I look at my girls in awe every single day. they are beautiful kids inside and out. How could she be feeling this way?
In that moment, I shed the towel, walked more proudly, more confidently and casually complimented strangers on their swimsuits and sun hats as we walked around the park, and stood in lines. I smiled and laughed and truly ended up forgetting how self concious I was only an hour ago. I began hoping maybe she would see that if I at a size 10 can be confident and happy in my skin, she certainly can feel the same way in hers.
Its funny because once we start to act confident we become confident. Its all about our state of mind.
So, call it a coincidance or maybe just reverse phycology, but you know what? For the rest of the day my girl made happy memories, posed for pictures, walked around smiling and laughing and never once did I see her crossing her arms in shame of her beautiful body again.
So, remember mamas. Its our job to lead by example, Even when we think they arent looking, even when we think that our actions and words dont matter THEY DO!
Beauty is so much more than flat tummies, "perfect" hair and "flawless" skin. Beauty is being kind to others, its giving with no intention of receiving (Even if only in the shape of a comliment) beauty is having smile lines because you laugh so often, beauty is in your stretch marks that some woman pray they could have, because that means they carried a child they have been longing for, beauty is the scar you have that means you've overcome pain , beauty is the graying hair that means youve lived, beauty is your crooked smile that someone just cant get enough of. BEAUTY is everything YOU ARE!
So, Stop comparing yourself to others and be confident. Confident in your looks, confident in your worth, confident in your character, confident in your minimum wage job, confident in the way your raise your children, confident in your loyalty, confident in your relationship with God, confident in all that you are. Because, the same God that created the majestic mountains or the enchanting seas, also created you and I. God created us perfectly and we need to remember that.
So forget the ones who judge, forget the ones who make you feel like you aren't worthy to wear that bathing suit, or shame you for eating that 2nd taco. Remember that what's on your heart is so much better than a beautiful face! So go after it mama, let go of your worries and insecurities and live!!!
"No matter where life takes you. Big cities or small towns, youll inevitably come across small minds. People who think they are better than you. People who think that material things or being pretty or popular makes you a worth while human being. Id like to tell you that none of these thing s matter, unless you have strength of character, integrity, a sense of pride. And if your lucky enough to have any of these things...dont sell them. So when you meet a person for the first time, please dont judge them by their station in life, because, who knows that person may just end up being your best friend." D.Creek