I was recently asked the question: "Why do you think women especially are so wrapped up in outer-physical appearance?" I wish that I could give a simple answer to that question.
Ultimately, I think that women like to feel beautiful. The sticky part of that is recognizing that there is a difference between feeling beautiful and buying into what others are showing us should be considered beautiful. From the time that we are little girls being pretty has had something to do with our clothes, hair, shoes. It is hard to change this as a little girl grows into a teenager and then a woman who is bombarded with images of beauty and perfection. The media presents an attainable version of perfection: any woman can achieve a particular look, weight, or type of skin as long as you buy their products. What women need to remember is that these companies are in the business of selling products and would anyone buy their products if they gave them acne, fly-aways, made them gain weight, or make wrinkles appear instead of disappear?
The Beautiful Women Project and our book, Beautiful Women, is a reminder to that we are already beautiful. All of the products and programs on the market are there to enhance our beauty, not magically bring it out. Beauty comes from within, you already own it! We are given a body, skin, and a set of circumstances that we weave together to make a life for ourselves. Let’s start focusing on who we are and being proud of that woman. If you want to change things, go ahead – but remember to reflect on why you want to make those changes and be proud of the experiences that will come as a result of your choice to change.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
The Beautiful Women Project Supports National Eating Disorders Week
The National Eating Disorders Association has announced that National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is February 24-March 1, 2008. This week the epidemic of eating disorders takes the national spotlight. The intention is not to glorify eating disorders, but to help those suffering as well as to educate those who may have a loved one suffering from an eating disorder.
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
Thank you for your continued support - of our project and of one another.
The Beautiful Women Project believes that there is so much more to an individual than their outward appearance. It is the sum of their life's experiences that make them beautiful. This is our mantra and will keep repeating it over and over for the world to hear. It is that important. The thirty five women in Beautiful Women share thier life stories and their beauty shines through them for the world to see. Please read what others are saying about the book:
http://bookloons.com/cgi-bin/Review.asp?bookid=9120
http://www.roundtablereviews.com/brunonancy012108.htm
http://www.amazon.com/review/R32P4HPNKW5ZKW/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
For every book purchased from our web site during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we will be donating $5.00 to the Northeastern Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders. Please pass this offer onto as many people that you know - this is not a gimmick to sell books, this is what The Beautiful Women Project does: help those in our communities who need help.
By clicking Beautiful Women Book on this blog or going directly to our web site and clicking "Purchase Book" follow the instructions and upon payment please enter NEDW.
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
Thank you for your continued support - of our project and of one another.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I Am Beautiful...No Matter What Anyone Says
I was recently asked a simple question: Why do you think women especially are so wrapped up in their outer-physical appearance? I wish that there was a simple answer.
Ultimately, I think that women like to feel beautiful. What we need to do is take a moment and realize that there is a difference between feeling beautiful and buying into what others are showing us should be considered beautiful.
From the time that we are little girls being pretty has had something to do with our clothes, hair, shoes. It is hard to change this as a little girl grows into a teenager and then a woman who is bombarded with images of beauty and perfection.
The media presents an attainable version of perfection: any woman can achieve a particular look, weight, or type of skin as long as you buy their products. What women need to remember is that these companies are in the business of selling products and would anyone buy their products if they gave them acne, fly-aways, made them gain weight, or make wrinkles appear instead of disappear?
The Beautiful Women Project and book Beautiful Women is a reminder that we are already beautiful. All of the products and programs on the market are there to enhance our beauty, not magically bring it out. Beauty comes from within, you already own it! We are given a body, skin, and a set of circumstances that we weave together to make a life for ourselves. Let’s start focusing on who we are and being proud of that woman. If you want to change things, go ahead – but remember to reflect on why you want to make those changes and be proud of the experiences that will come as a result of your choice to change.
Ultimately, I think that women like to feel beautiful. What we need to do is take a moment and realize that there is a difference between feeling beautiful and buying into what others are showing us should be considered beautiful.
From the time that we are little girls being pretty has had something to do with our clothes, hair, shoes. It is hard to change this as a little girl grows into a teenager and then a woman who is bombarded with images of beauty and perfection.
The media presents an attainable version of perfection: any woman can achieve a particular look, weight, or type of skin as long as you buy their products. What women need to remember is that these companies are in the business of selling products and would anyone buy their products if they gave them acne, fly-aways, made them gain weight, or make wrinkles appear instead of disappear?
The Beautiful Women Project and book Beautiful Women is a reminder that we are already beautiful. All of the products and programs on the market are there to enhance our beauty, not magically bring it out. Beauty comes from within, you already own it! We are given a body, skin, and a set of circumstances that we weave together to make a life for ourselves. Let’s start focusing on who we are and being proud of that woman. If you want to change things, go ahead – but remember to reflect on why you want to make those changes and be proud of the experiences that will come as a result of your choice to change.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Why Are So Many of Us Women Afraid of our Own Shadows?
Sunday was Groundhog Day - and the powers that be say that if the groundhog sees his shadow we have six more weeks of winter. Why is the groundhog afraid of his own shadow? Better yet, why are so many of us women afraid of own shadows?
A shadow is simply a silhouette of our being. Silhouette - such a beautiful word. I remember as a child that as part of a class project the teacher would call us up one by one and outline our sihouettes for us. We would then cut them out, paste them on another sheet of paper and give them as presents to our mothers for Mother's Day. Our shadows were presents - gifts.
Our shadows are still gifts. They show us the curves that define our bodies, the wisps of hair that frame our faces, the length of our legs that carry us everyday. Our shadows only define our physical beings, they don't define who we are as individuals. We are responsible for the type of people that we want to be in this lifetime. When I look at my shadow I need to reflect upon the type of wife, mother, daughter, friend, and member of my community that I want to be, not the fact that I look stubby because I am five foot three and all of the flyaways are pronounced on the cement below me. Whenever I think of these things when I see my shadow - I smile, this is what I am most proud of and the rest melts away even for only a moment.
Next time you see your shadow, don't be afraid. Stop and take a moment to look at your body and become your shadow's friend. Don't run from who you are - create who you want to be.
A shadow is simply a silhouette of our being. Silhouette - such a beautiful word. I remember as a child that as part of a class project the teacher would call us up one by one and outline our sihouettes for us. We would then cut them out, paste them on another sheet of paper and give them as presents to our mothers for Mother's Day. Our shadows were presents - gifts.
Our shadows are still gifts. They show us the curves that define our bodies, the wisps of hair that frame our faces, the length of our legs that carry us everyday. Our shadows only define our physical beings, they don't define who we are as individuals. We are responsible for the type of people that we want to be in this lifetime. When I look at my shadow I need to reflect upon the type of wife, mother, daughter, friend, and member of my community that I want to be, not the fact that I look stubby because I am five foot three and all of the flyaways are pronounced on the cement below me. Whenever I think of these things when I see my shadow - I smile, this is what I am most proud of and the rest melts away even for only a moment.
Next time you see your shadow, don't be afraid. Stop and take a moment to look at your body and become your shadow's friend. Don't run from who you are - create who you want to be.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
