Recognizing Beauty

In the spirit of my previous post, I can see that self-acceptance seems to have taken a new turn. Why not follow it to see where it has come from and where it takes me? How others see me may not have caught up to how I see and feel myself, but I won't let that impede positive thoughts and feelings.

This afternoon I read about self-acceptance in a blog called 'already pretty' and loved the way it is expressed so much I needed to pass it along to you. Aren't you lucky? 

The author Sally McGraw and I have very little in common. In her own words, 

"I know a lot about my body. I know its strengths and its graces, its quirks and defining traits. I know that I have strong legs and an elegant collarbone, pert breasts and dainty wrists, luxurious hair and an angular little nose. I know that I’ve got a lot going for me."

Let's see, my nose is not little (see the drawing; it really looks like that), but is strong and well defined. My legs are also strong, soft and shapely, something to build on there. My feet are quite nicely shaped, and while not small for a woman, size 10 is at least not hard to find; lots of selection. My breasts are not perky or pert, but I do have dainty (if slightly hairy) wrists and a collarbone that is nicely defined. I have a relatively small waist to hip ratio, and a really nice tushy that is a bit too small, but still…TMI? 

You can see, I have lots of good qualities to build upon, and that is what Sally writes about; that and not getting down on yourself for what you are not, or things about yourself that are less than ideal (I am not going to start that list thank you) according to some fashion magazine. 

I only started to follow Sally's blog recently. She writes well about recognizing beauty and I like her positive outlook. I couldn't help but be drawn to her use in this post of words like revelation, freedom, and liberating. 

You may wonder how it is that someone like me who is ts/non-transitioning would care about these issues. 

That is just how I am. I take inventory and care how my body looks, and recognize that yes, there is a beautiful person here, even if she will never be like that other Halle (her, you know, the famous one). 

I am me, and becoming strangely happy to be able to say that.