How I accepted 'My kind of Beautiful.

Sometimes, it is what we are afraid of, that sets us free.

Being seen and heard shows others it's ok to be you.

In a world that promotes the value of the external, we must learn to value the internal. Or else we will drown in the noise of the opinions of others. And our feelings of inadequacy.

As social media grows, our self-love, worth, and esteem are at risk of becoming extinct. And we cannot afford that.

We must keep a strong connection to our internal world. Our hearts and souls and our self-supporting dialogue. Because if total detachment occurs, we will be lost. Forever dependent on something weak and not reliable.

I have a scar from my waist to my pelvis, that looks like an old tramline, I was blessed with it, at 3 months. Having it saved my life. I have a slightly lazy left eye, that disconnects from my brain when I am tired.

I was born with a birthmark, on my inner right thigh, that looks like a mini version of the blob.

I've grey hairs and fat that seems to want to cling onto places, I don't want it to. And I have sagging skin, where muscles have shrunk and now hide.

There have been a million times when I have not felt beautiful when all I have seen have been my perceived imperfections.

I wonder if you have ever felt this way too.

Each time I feel like this, each moment I don't like what I see in the mirror, I remind myself of what I find beautiful in others. Real depth of beauty.

What draws me to them, what sets me free from comparison, and what connects us.

And that beauty is in the way they treat me and others. The kindness they offer, the compassion they share. Their gentle touch and their thoughtfulness.

The call asking if I am ok?

How did it go? As they remember an appointment, they know will have made me anxious.

A door opened. A smile. A thank you.

An offer of praise, the gift of time. A sacrifice, to be there.

A present "I knew when I saw it, it was made for you."

A glance and moment shared "Oh look at that!"

"I know."

These are the things that make people truly beautiful, that stuff that comes from their heart and soul. The ways of being that last a lifetime, maybe lifetimes.

The rest?

The external stuff?

Well, that is just additional. And over time will eventually fade.

So the next time you question your kind of beautiful, look inside first because that's where it's made.