You Do You

Is it just me or do you ever compare yourself to others, and even try to be someone that you are not? I think that especially in today's society, it has become commonplace to compare yourself to anyone and everyone else. 

We see images of "beautiful" girls in magazines, movies, on television...it's no wonder that we sometimes think we need to change ourselves in order to be "beautiful." But let me tell you something: that couldn't be further from the truth.

Since today is a gross, rainy day, I decided that big sweatpants and a sweatshirt were in order.  For some reason, I also decided that a dramatic makeup look involving lots of gold shimmer was in order as well. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I thought "I look ridiculous! I can't believe I'm going out like this!" But then I thought "So what? Who cares?? If this is what I want to wear today, then I'm doing it!"

You don't need to look to others to feel confident in yourself. You do you, and let that be enough. If you feel like wearing a big sweatshirt to school today, do it. If you want to wear super dark lipstick, go for it! If you find super comfy puppy slippers that you really want, get them and wear them proudly! (Yes, this is based off of a real-life situation, and yes, I wear my new puppy slippers proudly just about every night.) Don't worry about whatever the latest trend is, or about what other people might think of you. Just do you, and be comfortable and confident doing it!

I'm going to do me. Will you do you?

Quote of the Week - Wounds

Is it just me or did you ever have something happen in your life that changed you in some way? Some event, or series of events, that wounded you, scarred you, changed some part of you?

Today's quote really spoke to my heart:

"Don't allow your wounds to transform you into someone you are not."

                                                                                                                -Paulo Coelho

You may have been hurt. You may have been treated unfairly. You may have seen someone that you love suffer unfairly, and you may not have been able to do anything about it. 

Do not let your wounds change you so much that you turn into someone you are not. Do not let these wounds make you so bitter that you cannot find joy in things that you used to love before. Just because you were deeply hurt or treated unfairly does not mean that you have the right to do the same to others. Just because you have seen things that you wish you never had to see does not mean that you should harden your heart to things that are actually worth seeing.

Things happen in life that wound us, and sometimes these wounds leave scars. And while these scars may remain a part of you, they do not have to define who you are.  

With each new day comes distance from the things that hurt us. Will you let your wounds change you into a person that you are not? I know for me, I will do everything I can to ensure that this does not happen to me. Will you do the same?

What's the Hype About Halloween?

Is it just me or does Halloween get more hype than it should? Sure, it is fun to dress up in a costume and get lots of candy. But is it worth the spot as the second biggest holiday in the country??

I think that for many people, Halloween is an excuse to put on a fun costume and pretend to be somebody else for the night. As a matter of fact, I overheard a father the other day telling his son that he should get excited about Halloween because “It’s the only day of the year you get to be not you.”

This got me thinking…while it can be fun for a few hours on Halloween night, I don’t see why we would want to be anything other than ourselves. Putting on a costume should not make you turn into some other person. You are who you are, and you should be proud of that.

The coolest part is that there is only one you, and YOU get to be it! So I say embrace who you are to the fullest. Don’t try to hide who you are, or waste your days wishing that you could be someone else. You will be you for the rest of your life, so you might as well make the best of it! Be confident, be happy, and refrain from comparing yourself to others, because you will never be them (and they will never be you!). You were specially made as a unique individual with a purpose that only YOU were meant to carry out. How awesome is that?!

So have fun this Halloween; dress up and eat candy, but don’t forget who you are. What is your favorite thing about yourself? Something that makes you, YOU? Let me know in the comments!