NAS: Beauty

Blogging back with the Not Alone Series this week! I have been sick, so that is why I am a day late with this post. (disclaimer: I am still pretty sick so forgive me if this is incoherent!)

This week topic is beauty. Always a good topic to discuss! I have really struggled with this, in seeing my own beauty. As someone who as struggled severely with body image in unhealthy ways, this is something that I have had to learn and am still trying to fully understand: the beauty of my self. I think it is something we can never fully comprehend, but it is something that I wish to know more about. 

One thing I had to learn was not to be afraid of being beautiful. I think because my beauty was misused in the past, it was something that I have tried to hide. I was uncomfortable with compliments even though I yearned for them so much. I always thought that being beautiful would lead me down a dark path. I have since learned though that beauty is a GOOD thing. And my concept of beauty, for too long, had only been on the surface. 

I learned that there is so much more to beauty. Beauty is kindness, gentleness, compassion. Beauty is the self-sacrificing love between two people. Beauty is service. Beauty is radiated through someone's smile. Beauty is found when we are being authentically ourselves. This is probably one of my favorite quotes about beauty that I just recently found (and already posted it  here on my blog) but I am going to do it again in case you missed it :) 

How profound is that? If we could really see ourselves through the eyes of others, through the eyes of Christ,  I think we would find ourselves to be much more beautiful than we think we are. If you think about it, the human person is so complex, so intricate, that it is beautiful in and of itself. There is so much depth to a person. The human person is beauty, because it is made in the image and likeness of God, and God is Beauty. Therefore, I am beautiful solely because I exist, but also in the ways that I am unique. The ways I am truly myself.  

I hope and pray that everyone may come to know how beautiful they truly are! Can't wait to read what everyone else has to say on this topic :) 

You are Beautiful.

Part of my goals for this year is to read more. And with that, you might find me posting little snippets on this blog of things that were particularly inspiring, thought-provoking, or just fun. Anyways, this is not really anything lengthy, but still I read and took in every detail of this post. It is from the Healthy is the New Skinny initiative (which is awesome in and of itself). Courtesy of Instagram. 

 I LOVE this. It is so true, and really got me thinking a lot about the way I see myself.  It definitely made me smile. Happy Friday to all :)