The Natural Beauty Challenge

I think the most beautiful people in the world are the ones who radiate with life. With happiness, confidence and truly seem to know who they are. Many people agree, especially of the male persuasion. So why is it that women seem to think that beauty comes from a size or a cosmetic store? Flawless skin, piercing eyes and a tan, tiny waist doesn’t seem to fit into the description most men will give you when they describe their dream girl. So where do we get these ideas? Well i’m sure you know the answer — the media…and each other. The problem with all of this is one thing — it’s artificial – and the problem with artificial is that it’s never ending. There is never a point of completion, of satisfaction. There is always something more that can be done and because of that, it’s a never ending battle for women…there is no point of complete happiness. I don’t know about you but I’m sick and tired of it. So i’m challenging myself to change and hoping others will too.

It’s called the natural beauty challenge. And by this I DON’T mean studying how makeup professionals take 45 minutes to create the “natural look”…something of which bothers me sooo much! Natural should mean just that – natural. Not artificial. So anyway, here’s the challenge. For one entire week wear little to no makeup and don’t stress how you look. Wake up and get clean and all that, but look the way you were meant to look. Now there’s nothing wrong with looking pretty, but think about what YOU think pretty is, and what you were taught pretty is. Find your natural beauty. If it means not tanning this week, do it. Take off the fake nails, maybe even take out your hair dye…I don’t know. It’ll be different for each person. But I have found while on vacation that I feel my best when I’m being the person God created me to be. And I don’t want to lose that. So this week – for me – that means not stressing makeup – only wearing a little mascara, wearing clothes I like wearing (yesterday that was flood pants, my Hey Mercedes t shirt, a bandanna in my hair and sandals) – not what fashion magazines tell me is cute, spending my free time only talking to people I’m interested in being friends with and doing the activities I love doing (blogging, photography) and listening to my body as it tells me what I should and shouldn’t eat – not some magazine article (you’d be amazed what you’re ACTUALLY craving).

So I hope you do it and tell others about it. Let me know how things turn out!