Beautiful the Way You Are Challenge

Do you struggle with self image? You don't think you are beautiful? Someone once told you that you had something wrong with you and after a time you've started to believe them? Me too. I'm an average girl. When I was younger I was skinny but thought I was fat...then the most horrible thing happened I actually started gaining weight. I was depressed and eating like crazy. I was a happy girl when I was younger then Middle school happened. Girls kept trying to change me. I was a girl that hated make up, I didn't spend much time on my hair I was just me. Then suddenly from every direction I was told I was fat, I needed makeup and my hair was stringy. Nothing about me was good enough. Then I really did start to get chubby. My self image went from high to low in a matter of weeks. Now at 26 years old I still sometimes struggle with it, for crying outloud I'm a girl living in the 21st century where everywhere I turn is an example of perfection and that example is nothing like me. Most days I'm fine. I'm chubby, but happy, I wear the minimum of makeup and I still do very little to my hair. Still I have to remember that I'm beautiful the way I am. I remember some of my dorm-mates in college used to write on their mirrors with the window safe markers positive messages to themselves and anyone that used their mirrors. "I am Beautiful" "I am Strong" "I am one of a kind" "I love me" what excellent reminders! Lately I've been on a journey of self discovery. I'm finding different ways to discover that I'm Beautiful the Way I am" Each day I figure something new out, something that makes me, beautiful me. This challenge is for anyone that reads this blog. PLEASE join me on this journey. My friend Labanya and I as well as some others are going through this challenge and I will post on here the things that I've discovered. I encourage you to do the same. Comment on here. I don't know how long this challenge will be but I know the things we discover will be amazing. The first thing I've realized about myself is my smile. Happiness makes a girl beautiful. Life situations shouldn't control our happiness though. I've found myself smiling no matter how much it may hurt. Whats your first thing that makes you Beautiful the way you are? It can be anything. The coming days/weeks I'll talk about different natural beauty techniques, people, things I enjoy, and a lot of different areas of my life that show me that I'm beautiful the way I am. I encourage each of you to join me and would be so happy to do this journey with you. Think of this challenge as an accountability exercise. We're...all in this together ;) Check these out: http://thebeautybean.com/site/links/shop/ Until Next time...be you :)