{"id":2421,"date":"2017-12-15T06:00:36","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T11:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thequeenofmyself\/?p=2421"},"modified":"2017-12-08T14:58:40","modified_gmt":"2017-12-08T19:58:40","slug":"beauty-full","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thequeenofmyself\/2017\/12\/beauty-full.html","title":{"rendered":"Beauty-Full"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

DECEMBER<\/p>\n

The holiday season brings many parties and celebrations of all sorts. And lots of occasions for dressing up and wanting to look our best at any age.<\/p>\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

Power emanates from a woman who accepts her self fully and loves who she is. Feeling beautiful is a state of mind. Thankfully, this is as true at age 20 as it is at 60!<\/p>\n

Have you noticed that when you feel good about your life and your choices, you also feel vibrant, sexy and powerful? On the other hand, when you find yourself changing who you are by deferring to cultural standards of youth and manufactured beauty, when you give away your power to materialistic urges, you\u2019ll often find yourself on the treadmill of more, more, MORE. Suddenly, you\u2019re not good enough.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s human nature: we see pictures of designer homes and we want one. We see a celebrity wearing a fabulous dress and we want it. We see smooth skin and a shapely figure and we want that! There\u2019s an underlying belief that if we just have what they have, wear what they wear and look like they look \u2013 we will be happy. Unfortunately, we\u2019re just left wanting!<\/p>\n

Living in the United States of Advertising, we are constantly bombarded with\u00a0images of fashion, makeup and entertainment. No matter what our age, we find ourselves trying to measure up to an airbrushed standard that doesn\u2019t even exist! Women everywhere feel not good enough as we struggle to meet an unachievable standard: impeccably dressed, impressively addressed and perfectly shaped. Each time we fall short of these cultural expectations, it validates a belief that \u201cthere is something wrong with me.\u201d Slowly but surely, we are programmed to believe we are defective. As a result, many of us spend a lot of time, energy and money trying to make ourselves into who we think we should be. We poke, slather, tuck and camou\ufb02age, waging an all-out campaign to resist or disguise what is.<\/p>\n

Today, the cultural message to be \u201cperfect\u201d is louder than ever, and the younger generations could pay an even bigger price than we older generations have. We seem to have crossed a line somewhere \u2013 with women of all ages abdicating their personal sense of self to be like the celebrities they see<\/p>\n

\ufb02aunted in their faces every day. It\u2019s inconceivable that our goal here on earth is for all of us to move toward the same standard of beauty, yet so many of us are willing to go to extremes to do just that.<\/p>\n

In the interest of our future generations, perhaps it\u2019s time maturing \u201cwise women\u201d come forth and, reminiscent of the 1960s, once again proclaim,<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won\u2019t take it anymore!\u201d Haven\u2019t we had enough of trying to be perfect, enough of trying to meet an unattainable standard, enough of trying to look like the celebrities? (Who, by the way, have trainers, hairstylists, make up artists, personal stylists and the money to purchase any product or procedure they desire.)<\/p>\n

When we de\ufb01ne our beauty by our physical appearance, it\u2019s no wonder that we become disheartened as our bodies begin to re\ufb02ect the passage of time (or a few too many doughnuts). Sure, our looks matter \u2013 but they are not who we are! By reaf\ufb01rming that our physical self is simply part of a greater whole, we are able to appreciate that we are on this earth for a reason, and have much to offer.<\/p>\n

Leading by example, and accepting our uniqueness at every stage of life, we maturing women have the opportunity to in\ufb02uence an entire generation (or at least those willing to listen!) by challenging our youth-and-beauty culture\u00a0and embracing the satisfaction and freedom that comes with aging gracefully, knowing we are so much more than our physical bodies. By living our lives mindfully, authentically \u2013 with vitality and gusto \u2013 we can provide them with a roadmap to becoming the amazing women they were meant to be. Just as we have been both enriched and challenged by our mothers\u2019 generation \u2013 we have an opportunity to leave a legacy of self-love, acceptance and authenticity to the culture of women following in our footsteps. By redirecting one\u2019s focus from our packaging to our essence \u2013 we are better able to embrace the bigger picture and respect the ongoing circle of life.<\/p>\n

For those of you still enjoying your younger years, remember \u2013 who you are today is the person you will wish you were 10-20-30 years from now. Don\u2019t miss the life you are having by wishing you were different than you are. Embrace the totality of the magni\ufb01cent being that is you \u2013 now. (That applies\u00a0to all of us!)<\/p>\n

When you participate in activities you feel passionate about, spend time with those you treasure, inhabit your body fully, express your creativity, honor your boundaries, eat healthy foods and exercise your brain \u2013 what\u2019s not to love?!<\/p>\n

Being happy, engaged and vibrant \u2026 now that\u2019s beauty-full!<\/p>\n

At any age.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 2010 Maggie Rose Crane ~ AMAZING GRAYS Reprinted with author\u2019s\u00a0permission ~ maggie@maggiecrane.com
\n* ***
\nDonna Henes is the author of The Queen of My Self: Stepping into Sovereignty in Midlife.<\/a> She offers counseling and upbeat, practical and ceremonial guidance for individual women and groups who want to enjoy the fruits of an enriching, influential, purposeful, passionate, and powerful maturity. Consult the MIDLIFE MIDWIFE\u2122<\/a><\/p>\n

The Queen welcomes questions concerning all issues of interest to women in their mature years. Send your inquiries to thequeenofmyself@aol.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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