The power word is BEAUTY
How is Beauty Defined? What is it? What is the Connection to the Health of Your Mind?
When I asked people in the community how they describe “beauty” some of you said that beauty is really something that refers to physical attributes and it is often defined in artificial terms. Some of you very thoughtfully and openly said that it’s a source of inner conflict for many, particularly for women because it’s often associated with appearance. Many people emphasized how girls and women struggle with this concept of beauty and what society tends to demonstrate as beautiful. I think that gradually, and in small areas, we are trying to shift that a little but for the most part there is still that tendency towards certain images that claim to represent “beauty” in our media. Hopefully we’ll continue to work towards changing that.
Let me share my vision or definition of beauty. Like some, I believe that beauty is more of an innate quality or a characteristic. It’s an internal, natural sort of sparkle and it’s really the essence of something. And I believe that it’s present in everything and everyone. There was a quote that I once heard which says that “Beauty is not in the face, beauty is a light in the heart.” And I so deeply agree with that.
I think of beauty on a broader scale. Probably a broader scale than many. I believe that even if you’re not exactly where you’d like to be as a mompreneur, as a mom, as a woman, that doesn’t mean that life right now can’t be beautiful or enjoyable. And the best part is that you don’t have to do anything to make it beautiful. Just a shift in perspective and it will already be beautiful. All you have to do is open your eyes and awaken your appreciation for what just is. It’s really about seeing things differently. And that is mind power at its most essential capacity (and you that that is where I come from).
We’re constantly surrounded by opportunities and miracles but we don’t’ recognize them because they come to us so gracefully and subtly. Things like every breath, every movement, every condition or circumstance that’s creating just a possibility for you to be alive right now, reading this right now is a beautiful experience existing by (I believe) no chance. We are often just inundated with our to-do list or get caught up in the chaos of things that aren’t really- when it comes down to it all- that important. Realizing that beauty exists in every moment is possible and it’s simply takes a way of seeing things a bit differently. A shift that begins in your mind.
Here’s the first tip, try exercising the practice of listening. And I mean really listening. One of the biggest challenges to recognizing life’s magnificent moments is that we often don’t really stop to listen to what’s happening, to what’s around us, so that would be my first suggestion.
The second tip to enhancing the way you view your world is to try being non-judgmental. I know you already think that you have this covered but most of us really don’t. We automatically criticize and judge countless things and people every single day – often without our awareness.
Another tip for you is to try finding beauty in just the little things in life. Children are great at this, aren’t they? They actually just see things; the things that we take for granted excite them. And if you take the time, you will be amazed by how beautiful things really are. The trees that gently move with the wind. The leaves falling to the ground. The birds chirping, the water flowing (one of my favorites). The simplest of things have the most profound beauty if you pause and take notice.
In terms of our relationships, just find the beauty that exists in your connection. Your life is enriched through the presence of others. It’s a good idea to open your heart (or open your heart more) until you live from a place of less or no expectations and just tremendous acceptance – to see the people in your life for the first time. See things about them that you haven’t necessarily noticed or seen for a long time.
In terms of your business, consider your perceptions of yourself, where beauty is concerned. How you feel about yourself will be communicated to others whether you like it or not. And whether it’s the way that you think, you are communicating to others or not. Consider how you feel about your business. Again, how do you feel about it will be expressed through everything you do in your business. And finally, consider how you feel about the people you are serving. Is it genuine? Are the people that you are serving aligned with your truth? Life, our relationships, our ability to contribute to the world in the form of a career are all beautiful gifts if we perceive it as such. Remember the guiding life wealth principles. If you haven’t heard them already they are: to develop fully, live deeply and succeed authentically. When you can close your eyes and still see the beauty that is the ultimate life mastery because life wealth really flows directly from mind health. It was Marianne Williamson who said, “The mind is the cause and our experiences are the effects.” I invite you to develop the power of your mind – it is a beautiful thing!