Who dictates what we should look like and what is considered beautiful? We blame men, we blame models, we blame magazines, film clips, movie stars, we blame anyone with blonde hair, big boobs or slim figures. But the truth is that we are the only ones who decide what we think is beautiful. It is too easy to point the finger and say that if we were to have curvier women on the catwalks in Milan, London or New York then women would feel better about their body image.
Yes the modelling world is made up of a majority of thin women, but that doesn’t mean that thin is the only beautiful. Beauty is so much more than your figure. Beauty is so many things and means so many different things to different people. I have one daughter who is super thin and healthy and another who is also healthy and developing curves. They are both incredibly beautiful. When I was a child I was a teeny bit chubby, my sister was thin, I always assumed she was the pretty one, that I wasn’t pretty because I wasn’t thin. Now that didn’t come from film clips, or models as I didn’t even know what they were. It just came from my perception of what beauty meant. To me as a child I thought beauty related to your weight. Now as an adult I don’t think that at all.
Being healthy and happy is what is beautiful. Just because you are thin in no way means you are healthy or happy, and just because you’re a larger women does not mean you are unhealthy or unhappy.
Beauty is a spark in your eye, a bright smile, a healthy nourished body, glowing skin, laughter, a genuine smile, it is feeling good about yourself, being friendly and kind to others. Beauty is being yourself, being well rested, it is a positive attitude, it is about being comfortable in your own skin. Beauty is YOU!
So here I am on a tropical holiday, relaxed and rejuvenated. There is nothing more testing on your body image and your self-esteem than being in tropical weather by the Great Barrier Reef and having to get in your bathing suit! It would be easy for me to fall into the trap of criticising my body and the way I look. I could compare myself to the tanned bodies that surround me, or I can choose to throw on my swimsuit, put on my smile, embrace my healthy skin and enjoy a swim with my wonderful husband and gorgeous kids!
Beauty truly is all in your perception and your attitude! Your mind has amazing power over your life, so don’t let negative thoughts or body bashing hold you back from living a fun and healthy life!
Click to Tweet: Beauty truly is all in your perception and your attitude!
Get out there and rock the body you’ve got!
Thanks for joining me, love Mackenzie xx
Welcome to Friday Reflections.
Here are this weeks writing prompts: 28 August 2015
- What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date and why?
- Write a letter to someone who believed in you even when you didn’t believe in yourself.
- Reflect on the following quote: Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life. ~ Rumi
- FREE WRITING: Reflect and write about anything!
Last weeks featured writer is Parul from Happiness and Food with her post so beautifully written about her sibling love. Check it out here.
Loading InLinkz ...Please add our badge to your post or sidebar and remember to leave a comment on the hosts post and at a couple more xx
15 comments
You’re so right, Mac. Beauty truly is what we perceive it to be! YOU are beautiful, my friend.
Hugs!
Thanks so much for your continuing support, you always make me smile xx
Beauty is so much more than physique and I love your post Mackenzie. I can see beauty in you and your family enjoying your holiday. I can see beauty in nature. How often do we see a curvy woman who is gorgeous because she is confident and smiles. I think confidence and smiling makes a person beautiful not the way they look. #FridayReflections
Beauty is so much more than your physique, it’s important to look after that too, but to feel good about yourself is the most important thing. Thanks for supporting #Fridayreflections
Wow! I wish I were there.
I miss the sun. Yes, there is here, but I am finicky. LOL
I don’t want the city sun. I miss a place to swim and relax.
Life is beautiful, isn’t it?
Thanks for sharing and thanks for the link party!
Yes it would be wonderful to have it everyday
Such a lovely post. And I agree. YOU are beautiful 🙂
Thank you lovely
I love this MG, and I love your picture with your little one in the water. You both look so happy, and that is beautiful! Beauty is being able and willing to see yourself as those who love you see you, accepting your “good” and committing to improving your “bad” as much as you can, and LIVING without making yourself or those close to you feel self-conscious. Your everyday and the memories you make become beautiful! I am reading this right after crawling out of bed and sitting here with my first cup of coffee. My husband walked up behind me and read “What is beautiful?” out loud, then said, “I’m looking at it.” He can look at a sleep deprived bedhead with allergy eyes and say that and mean it, and I believe him. Not that I look in the mirror and see beautiful, but that he looks at me and that is what he sees. Being able to appreciate that without unwarranted self-consciousness, changes everything. Thanks for starting my day in such a happy place! 🙂
What a thoughtful comment, I am glad I started your morning off in a happy place, as you have now done for me reading your comment. You husband sounds like a keeper!
I honestly love when a person is glowing from the inside. There is really nothing that compares to that in terms of beauty or anything. An alive person will capture the attention of anyone and everyone, regardless of their weight, makeup, or hair. Well said.
-Tara
I totally agree Tara, thanks for the feedback xx
I agree Mac, being healthy and happy goes deeper than shallow perceptions of beauty. What a wonderful post and the photos are great! 🙂
This is such a brilliant post and so true! Thanks for linking up to #justanotherlinky xx
True beatuty is your personality!
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