Thursday, September 23, 2010

Queen Lesson 102

Welcome and All Hail to the Queens-to-be!! Let's get started, shall we?!

Chapter 2: Claim your beauty and feel your power! (or How to banish your inner crone, lol!)

beautiful (adjective): 1. having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear or think about; delighting the senses or mind 2. wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying 3. excellent of its kind 4. YOU!

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"

Did you answer, "Me!!!!"? Probably not, and how sad is that anyway? Get out your notebooks girls, and jot down what you consider "beautiful". What does beautiful mean to you? Yes, now; I'll wait.







OK, great. So what's on your list?? Does beautiful mean a certain size or number on a scale? Clear skin? Bikini body? Perfect white teeth? Hair that doesn't look like you rolled out of bed and has been washed this week? Different/better boobs, nose, legs, butt, etc etc etc than what you possess?

The media and entertainment industry would have us believe that we need to be their version of "perfect" in order to be beautiful. And yet it's all a myth!!! Those women are often very young girls, and ALL are airbrushed!!! NONE of them wake up and just look like that. You are believing in a lie that is unattainable, and crushing to your spirit. Now...go back and read the dictionary's definition again. I don't recall reading about big boobs or a size 4 hiney on there anywhere!!!! So, does this perhaps mean that being beautiful is, can be and should be so much more??? YES!!

** Crown Jewel **
So much has been said and sung of beautiful young girls; why don't somebody wake up to the beauty of old women? - Harriet Beecher Stowe

When you look in the mirror, do you make a face at yourself? I do. Well I used to. I'd see a tired, old woman and wonder how in the world she got into my mirror!! I'd see the tired, puffy eyes, red nose, new wrinkles....and completely miss the true story there. Yep, I'm tired a lot. It's called being a wife and a mother. And I've earned every bit of story on my face! There's no rose colored glass in my mirrors, and I'm glad. Because you know what? With everything I've faced in my life, every challenge, every stressful situation - I've faced it head on and conquered them all! If that "shows", then it's a badge of honor. If we continue to equate youth and superficial beauty to our value as women, then we are seriously shortchanging ourselves!!!


** Crown Jewel **
Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.
- Grandma Moses

But even without the media's help, we as women still have hangups with how we look and find it impossible to see our true beauty - inside and out. There will always be someone prettier, with better hair, longer legs, more money. So what? Every woman is busy comparing herself to someone else and to some imaginary ideal; including that perfect bombshell you saw in the store the other day!! What a drag on our emotional resources! Rather than worrying about how you rate, why not try something really radical. Why not just declare yourself totally fabulous, gorgeous and irresistible? Say it to yourself. All the time, everyday. Say it, mean it - or if need be, just fake it till you make it!

** Crown Jewel **
You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself.
- Ethel Barrymore

Later during our Crowning Ceremony, you will have to proclaim two things. What has worked for you in the past that you want to keep, and what has to go. One thing that has to go for sure is thinking you must be young and thin to be beautiful. Why waste even one more second on such negative and defeatist thinking?? What you really want (and need) to feel beautiful, is a lightness of spirit and daily happiness! Try putting down - and never, ever picking up again! - all that negative emotional baggage you're dragging around. Talk about losing weight!!! You'll feel so light you could almost fly!!!


** Crown Jewel **
The really happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery when on a detour.

What would you do or who would you be, if you knew you couldn't fail? If failing were somehow not even a concept in your consciousness, how would that change your life. Think about it....if you asked a little kid what they wanted to be when they grew up, you'd really hear just about anything. They haven't been told yet, or been made to feel, that anything was impossible. Therefore everything is possible!!! Naive? Who says? Who says you can't do whatever it is that has always set your spirit soaring? Most likely the only one standing in your way is you. So why not try? Take that foreign language course, finish (or start!) that degree program, travel, write your bestselling novel, learn a new hobby - whatever. Be the person you've always wanted to be - today!

** Crown Jewel **
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
- Harriet Tubman

Claim your beauty! Excerpt: 'Wouldn't the ultimate gift to yourself be to believe that, no matter what your age, size or circumstances, you are beautiful and then go out into the world reflecting that feeling inside and out?' So go out there ladies, and strut your stuff! Stop with the stinkin' thinkin' and claim YOUR beauty!!!

** Royal Proclamation **
I am Queen of My Own Life and I shall confront that damn talking mirror every day. It will have no power over me. Every time I look into it, I will see myself as the beautiful, intelligent, valuable woman that I am. So says the Queen!


Please watch this; listen; and BELIEVE!!

12 comments:

Sueann said...

You are so right! My "beautiful" list contained things like; white teeth, long flowing thick shiny hair, size 4 body, shapely, great sense of humor, kind heart, great smile, sparkling eyes, intelligent and quick witted. I could go on, but you get the drift and so do I. I will keep the sense of humor, kind heart, great smile, sparkling eyes and quick wit. The rest I will throw away.
I will look in the mirror and declare what a beauty I am and tell my self that I will TRY something new today!
I will call a few Interior Designers and tell them of my fabulous art work!!
I will pull out my Spanish language CD and start my lesson.
I am loving this book Jeannie!
Hugs
SueAnn

Jennifer Shirk said...

WOW!! I feel better about myself already!
What great inspirations!

I used to love reading People magazine's 50 most beautiful people. They really did a great job including people of all ages and body types who really are beautiful for so many different reasons.

Anonymous said...

The media really does make you feel you have to be a size zero,spray tanned, tall, lean, and gorgous. I always remind myself they edit and help them a lot, so what were seeing is probably not their body anyway! lol Have a great weekend!

Mimi said...

My beautiful list has changed so much over the years. I'm still stuck on the weight thing, but other than that I'm doing pretty good with liking myself.

I did just find my first grey hair last night, though :(

Pat Wahler said...

Excellent advice. I hope all the pretty ladies take note!

Pat
www.critteralley.blogspot.com

CB said...

I love that when you get a little older and wiser you realize that true beauty is not just what is on the outside.
It's great to feel good in your own skin!

Tammy said...

You are so right...but I have thought the wrong way for so long, it will take awhile to do the right thing. I compare myself to others so often, I hardly think about it anymore...I HATE THAT I DO THAT! I am me and I need to learn to except that.

BTW...I love that you are guiding us through the book. I have enjoyed the book so far...what a great read!

Unknown said...

So true! When I was in my early twenties I didn't even know what beautiful was. I THOUGHT beautiful was something you put on every day...make up, hair, clothing.

Now I'm 41 and beautiful to me is personality, the ability to love unconditionally, and a dirty sense of humor..or any sense of humor really.

The industry standards are quickly becoming those that most people realize are so unrealistic, I mean really...how many people over the age of 10 can fit into a size 0, wear 12 inch platform heels and look like they have slept well ALL THE TIME?(and for those of you that fit this criteria...don't be hating...you are indeed in the minortity and good for you...like how I backtrack..eh?)

Well anyway, I'm enjoying the book thoroughly....it has made me giggle for sure!

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

I went to a Women of Faith conference this weekend...and Mandisa did a session on Beauty.... watch on You Tube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It93_NLaS1A&feature=PlayList&p=224B15B5BB19941B&index=0&playnext=1
She and Sandi Patty both talked about their flaws. It was great... I came away with a new perspective for sure.

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

I went to a Women of Faith conference this weekend...and Mandisa did a session on Beauty.... watch on You Tube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It93_NLaS1A&feature=PlayList&p=224B15B5BB19941B&index=0&playnext=1
She and Sandi Patty both talked about their flaws. It was great... I came away with a new perspective for sure.

Unknown said...

I think we can find beauty in just about everyone, sure some of it my be physical beauty. But there is something beautiful in all woman. Funny though when you said make a list of beautiful all i could picture was sunsets on the beach. I know I will never be a size 5 again, I know my skin will lose its youth like looks, I want laugh lines to show that dang it my life was filled with laughter. That's beautiful!

KatCollects said...

My beautiful list has also changed through the years. Loving your posts. I have been struggling with time to finsih my book. But I am headed out for a vacation with my Sister to a art camp in 2 days. 5 whole days of ME time. I am taking my book with me.
Hugs,
Kathy