careysinchaos:
On Tuesdays we #transform! Today, I feel genuinely beautiful and for that I am thankful for this #transformation! 💕 #tt #transformationtuesday
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Don’t get me wrong, I felt absolutely beautiful during our vow renewal in Aruba because my dress was amazing…and my hair and make-up artist was fabulous! But the experience left me feeling less than beautiful. The photographer told me that we were not his typical couple, that we were too big, that we were too white/too red (WV skin+Aruba sun=sunburn no matter the amount of sunscreen), and that my photos wouldn’t be everything that I imagined. After spending months discussing ideas, he was right and my experience was ruined. His comments made me feel less than beautiful and less than adequate as a “bride” for my special day. 😞
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Here’s what I learned from that experience – I let too many outside factors determine my happiness. Because the photographer didn’t think I was beautiful, I then thought that I wasn’t beautiful. His perception of me skewed my perception of myself. Why? Why did I let this happen? Who knows…but I’m working on it. So today, I genuinely feel beautiful. I don’t need anyone’s approval to know that. Opinions of me do not change my perception of myself. I am strong enough to know that my beauty is determined by me. I say this not to garner head pats or comments, but to let all women (or men) know that their value is not determined by anyone but themselves. Love yourself and let your true beauty shine! 💕