Good morning, all you beautiful people!! ? Recently a few friends of mine remarked that they wish I posted more photos of... me. I sort of immediately dismissed the idea because... why? But then they said, "Don't you like seeing the person behind the drawings or writings or the art? Do you not enjoy when someone shares parts of themselves through their own photos too?" And that got me thinking because yes, I really do. A lot. Every soul and every face has beauty in it. There is something sacred and set apart in each person, a unique quality that won't ever be found elsewhere in any other soul. So isn't it sad that a lot of us tend to belittle this when it comes to our own selves? It's like somewhere along the way we began to believe that if we truly love who we are and acknowledge that beauty resides within us, we are somehow selfish and self-absorbed. And yet what I have learned is that the more I love myself, accept that there is beauty in me and celebrate that, the more I am able to see it and genuinely celebrate it in others too. And consequently when I am harsh with myself and continuously dismiss compliments that others extend to me, the more self-conscious I become, the more insecure and critical I am, both with others and myself. Modesty and meekness do not equate self-loathing. And selfishness and narcissism do not come from actually loving one's self but rather the opposite. The most pure, loving, generous, joyful and healthy people I have met are those who love and accept themselves wholeheartedly. I have never encountered a joyful person who beats him/herself up constantly just like I've never met a miserable person who loved him/herself well. And I have learned that both joy and misery like company, and joy is by far a much better gathering. So. Here's to joy. Starting with you. Here's to sharing a little glimpse. To celebrating the beauty within yourself. To celebrating that in each other. To filling up your own well with love because an empty one has nothing to extend. Here's to you, your life, your heart. Your beautiful heart that is unlike any other, that is worthy, priceless and that the world is waiting to see shine. ?

catharinemisookさん(@catharinemisook)が投稿した動画 - 2016/02/20 23:03:20