Miracle

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Dr.Guliuzza give a talk on this topic in person. I found it completely fascinating.

The creation and formation of a human life is really stunning. All the intricate details that we are ignorant of or simply take for-granted are amazing.

If you have the time, I encourage you to watch this talk. The video quality is not superb, but the information is still worthwhile!
No matter where you stand about the origins of our planet and life on earth, denial that the formation of the human body is miraculous is ignorant, and so many details point to intelligent design. Enjoy! 

                            

not good enough for who?

While there seems to be an increasing number of social media movements promoting healthy body images and ideals, there still is an epidemic of critical messages generating destructive thought-patterns in people of all ages. 
These images/standards of "perfect" are generated by pop culture, perpetuated by media, handed down from our family members or spoken to us through friends and enemies. 
I'm tired of living in a culture where people feel that they are never good enough for who they are externally... 
I'm sick of looking at my own reflection with tunnel vision - only focusing on how I'm "failing" by the world's (my culture's) standards.

For most girls, this starts young. Even for those who live in a positive environment...  like I did at six years old, being embarrassed about temporarily having "freckles" from vomiting or believing I had "fat thighs" since I was 11.

There are so many of us - all variations and we are all unique.  We are taught that there are universal standards for beauty that people (especially men) agree on. Okay, sure, there is a bench mark, if you will, for attractiveness. But...so what? 

Unique: "very special or unusual; belonging to or connected with only one particular thing, place or person." 

You, be you.

Society places unnecessary image standards on both men and women, but since I am a woman, I'm going to speak to those messages specifically. It seems there is a definition of perfection for every inch from our heads to our toes. 

Ladies, how many of these sound familiar?

Your hair is too short.
Your hair is too curly.
Your hair is too flat. 
Your eyes are too small
Your eyebrows are too thick/too thin.
Your nose is too big.
Your ears are too big. 
Your lips are too thin.
Your neck is too thick.
Your arms are too flabby.
Your hands are too chubby.
Your fingers are too short. 
Your breasts are too small.
Your waist is too big. 
Your hips are too wide. 
Your thighs are too big. 
Your butt is too flat. 
Your knees are too big. 
Your ankles are too big.
Your feet are too big...
...And on it can go... 
It wears me out just thinking about it! Nit-picking like this is almost laughable!

See, if we stopped viewing ourselves as cells that just somehow happen and accepted that we were designer-handmade, I think we'd accept ourselves more readily and stop trying to fit into a manufactured mold. 

People are more that straight teeth, great abs and flawless skin. Even more than their mom's eyes and their dad's crooked smile - they are God-designer handmade. 
So, to those who told me my hair was too curly or alerted me that my arse was too small - go smile at yourself in the mirror and put aside your own insecurities. Let's start focusing in on what lasts. :)

who am I?

Do you ever feel like you don't know who you are ? Suddenly, writing the small "About Me" blurb becomes an confused, introspective mess... 

When and how do you lose yourself?

Is it possible, if you feel you don't know why you are, that you never really owned your own identity? Instead, only an identity formed by your ancestors which you no longer fit into.

I realize to some this may sound like just a adolescent or young adult struggle of independence. But, I would argue it's deeper than that 

I realize to some this may sound far too analytical. 

And maybe it is 

But, every human has to find meaning, belonging and an identity.

Even if they don't subscribe to a formal religious or societal institution to find it. 

Without purpose, people quit their lives-figuratively and literally...

Knowing oneself is essential to building and maintaining your character and growing and sustaining healthy relationships.

I envy those who don't apologize for any aspect of themselves or feel the need to change for acceptance. I think we all confirm to some extent, but some are more prone than others.

I must note, acceptance is a fundamental human need. We all need and seek it out. But, the lengths to which some of us go to attain "acceptance" kills it's perfect form and makes it overrated...

For a long time, I felt like even tho I changed or held my tongue based on the people I was with for the sake of acceptance, I still knew who I was inside - what I really believed and desired. The true foundation.

Then, one day, I felt I lost that foundation. I couldn't answer truthfully and with conviction, "who am I?"   Learning what's "socially desired" and having been knocked over by repeated disappointments so much so... That I really felt I had lost my identity.  So many ambivalent feelings

It's an interesting, introspective exercise to ask yourself these questions one-at-a-time: 

Who was I created to be? ie: I was born _______

Who was I conditioned to be? ie: I was raised to be ________

Who I am I allowing myself to be shaped into today? ie: the Influencers/mindsets/messages I am accepting shape me to be _______.