BEAUTY REDEFINED

I love the message that the ladies at Beauty Redefined are sharing. If you haven't read any of their posts, their message is about denying the media message of beauty (an unattainable standard that requires us to consume products, diet, have surgeries, etc.) and sharing what it really means to be beautiful IN REAL LIFE. Not the airbrushed fantasy land that we think is real life, but REAL LIFE. REAL WOMEN. REAL BEAUTY. The kind that exudes confidence, not because it is blemish free, but because it is genuine. I wish it was a message that didn't NEED to be shared. I wish it was something we just understood. In my world, face to face interactions are fewer than interactions with media. I am a person who lives life via the computer. Even the innocent mommy blog can set a standard that makes you feel less than adequate. You mean you don't wear heals and satin when you vacuum? I am a fairly smart person. I know that the person on the magazine cover isn't really as thin as she looks. That one is easy. But it goes beyond that. It is so easy to get discouraged and down on ourselves for not looking like the women we see (in the media) every day. My downfall is PEOPLE magazine when it highlights actresses over 50 and I wonder why they don't look more like me (or their own mothers!) It is easy to compare our "flaws" to others' strengths. The ladies at Beauty Redefined have given some great suggestions on how we can "take back beauty". If you have the time, take a minute to read through their ideas. Their articles are filled with history, facts, and a lot of research; my favorite way to get to know something!