I am Brave and Beautiful – a beauty movement that is sweeping the globe. Colbie Caillat started it with her recent song and video called TRY. My blogging friend Megan of Brassy Apple wanted to push this movement along and invited women from all over to share what they looked like without make-up and I joined in!!
Colbie’s song says, “Take your make up off. Let your hair down… Look into the mirror at yourself, Do you like you? Cause I like you… “
Me along with 101+ other blogging women from different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, ages, shapes and sizes have decided to be Brave and Beautiful! You can join in this movement too by sharing what you look like without makeup on. You don’t need a blog either! Just tag your photo with #IamBraveAndBeautiful on Instgram and search the hashtag to see who else has joined in. ALSO, if you tag it with a second hashtag – #ColbieTRY we just might be able to get Colbie Caillat’s attention since she was the inspiration behind it all!
And guess what, I survived and it’s actually quite freeing (and I only took 57 pictures to find these two that I’m sharing!). However… I probably won’t be sporting the new no makeup look on a regular basis, but it feels wonderful to share the real me.
We were asked to share Why we don’t have to try so hard to impress the world. Why it’s okay to be you and to “take our makeup off, let your hair down, take a breath…”
I was really shy growing up. Junior High and High School were not bad, just not my favorite years. I was so excited to get to college and finally start a fresh and just be me. Pick new friends. Make a new path. As is for many, those were wonderful growing life years. I think I was slowing growing into myself and learning a bit more how the world worked and how I fit into it.
Most of us look to people to give us the validation we need. We judge our self worth by what friends, parents, teachers, coworkers and sometimes even strangers say about us. The problem with that is this, if we depend on others to give us love and praise and self worth… we will always always be left wanting and left disappointed. People are people and sometimes people are pretty crappy. Believe me, I know.
Now at 34, I’ve become a very confident person. There isn’t much I don’t think I could accomplish if I put my mind to it. Now I enjoy being different, having short hair, not always going with the grain. I’ve learned I can not depend on people for my value in life. My only hope and my worth come from the light and beauty that Christ has given me. No one can take that from me. It is the light and love of God that cannot be quenched, no matter what life, people and circumstances do to us. I try live a life that’s loving, joyful and caring and hopefully that shines through to others. So, why do I not need to ‘try so hard’ well because my worth doesn’t come from this world, it comes from Christ.
You’re such a beauty. And your insides match your outsides. Thanks for sharing this! Xoxo