Real Deal

Sometimes I feel like my blog can be a little shallow. I mean, it's a fashion and style blog. It kind of has to be about outward appearances and looking good. But I wanted to take up some space on this little piece of the web I call Buttons & Pockets and talk about something real. Join me?


I'm a celebrity news enthusiast. I love hearing the latest gossip and checking out what everyone's wearing. It's sort of my guilty pleasure. But sometimes this habit of mine gets in the way of my perception of reality, and even worse, myself. Women have a lot of expectations to deal with in the society we live in today. I don't want to go on a rant about the world's definition of beauty, but come on! We all know it's true. There is a standard set by the young, rich, and fabulous. A standard that the majority of the world couldn't live up to if they tried. I'm not trying to change the world's expectations. Just my own. And maybe yours too. If you have ever felt like you're not beautiful, perfect, thin, toned, tan, perky, and the woman that every guy dreams about, you're not alone and you're not right.

It's our job to make ourselves beautiful. Not with the perfect wardrobe, workout routine, and makeup regimen. I'm talking about inner beauty and confidence. Nothing is more attractive than a confident woman. You know when I feel the most beautiful? When I worked hard for something. When I accomplished a goal. When I feel proud to be me. If we let someone or something else define beauty and decide what we're supposed to be, we're not going to feel beautiful and we're not going to be happy. I'm challenging myself and anyone who reads this to stop looking at the models, singers, actresses that we think are so perfect and comparing ourselves to them. Instead, look for a woman who is beautiful and confident on the inside and try to be more like her. There are lots of them out there, I promise. For me, that woman is the Proverbs 31 woman. Proverbs 31 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible and I look to it to remember the woman I want to be that is beautiful in God's eyes. It reminds me that there are so many more important aspects to being a woman than skin-deep beauty.

I hate nothing more than being sappy and preachy, but I think this is important. Too many girls are growing up thinking they need to be perfect and look perfect to be happy. And too many women have grown up into the non-perfect adult they didn't want to be and feel horrible about themselves. That is so sad to me and I just want to help someone stay away from that. And I need to remind myself that as much as I love fashion and trying to make myself look good, none of that really matters and the thing that's going to make me happy is being confident the way I am and accepting myself.


So here's my note to myself and any of you that ever feel un-pretty:
You are beautiful because God made you exactly the way He wanted you to be. The world's idea of beauty changes constantly but a confident, secure woman with her head held high is never looked down upon. Be yourself and love yourself. Don't let anyone else's vision of you be the way you see yourself, unless it's God's. If you're feeling like you're not good enough, remember what you like about yourself. No one can take that from you. You're your own harshest critic. Give yourself a break and just be the beautiful woman you are on the inside.


And now, some phrases from people who said it better . . .

I would love to hear your comments and reactions! PS- All the pics are from Pinterest.
KM