Size Beautiful AND Healthy

So, I feel like I need to write a post on what this blog is really about. I write a lot about internal and personal beauty and that how you feel about yourself is very very important. However, I think I need to redefine the line between viewing yourself as truly beautiful and viewing yourself beautiful by someone else's standards. Gal's we're not going for beautiful by other people's standards; we're going for beauty by your standards and feeling completely comfortable and confident in your own skin. 

Granted it has taken me a little while to get to this feeling. Good gravy, I am lying I am still not completely to this point; I still sometimes feel the need for outside confirmation that I am looking pretty each day. I do have it easy, having a boyfriend and all, but that doesn't give me the excuse to depend solely on his kind words to have a great day. Each and every one of us has to find a happy place, a place inside where we feel genuinely pleased about how we look in the mirror. We need to be okay with ourselves through thick and thin; not cave under the heavy pressures of magazines, TV shows, and other girls. 

So, I could rant about this for three or four more paragraphs but for your benefit I will cut myself short and give you a quick tip that I learned from the great Angela Liddon that helped me turn my focus in the right direction. I strongly encourage you to run to your closet right now! YES! That means now! Go and grab all of the pants you own; whether it be jeans, yoga pants, (yes, even the Victoria Secret one's with the sequins!), corduroys, and gym shorts and Sharpie out the number. Then, in it's place right the word "healthy." The size you are right now, whether it be a low, high, or middle weight, is what you weigh and it's just a number, like your pant size. We are not labeled by the number inside our pants (that no one but us sees!) we are labeled by how our body is functioning and if it is functioning healthily. I know this post probably seems like a quick jumble of thoughts that I half-heartedly shared with you guys, but it is, in fact, something I feel very strongly about. So, seriously, run to your closet! Now! Run, Forrest! RUN! 

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Pass It On

A few weeks ago my parents were at a Starbucks Coffee shop not far from our house, they were going to buy not only a afternoon "pick-me-up," but a bag of coffee for the week as well. (At the Troxel household there are three very serious coffee consumers, my mother, father, and brother, all of whom prefer lots and lots of creamer!) As they slowly made their way up the line to the register they gave their orders and waited to pay, not paying much attention to their surroundings. However, when they got to the front and gave their card to purchase their goodies the smiling cashier she said, "The man in front of you has already taken care of it for you." 

My parents, quite taken aback at this random act of kindness, preceded to thank the elderly man gracefully for paying for their $17.00 bill. However, the man, instead of willingly taking the thanks, told my parents that it was a usual thing for him. Once a week this man buys coffee for one person or couple behind him in line, it is his random act of kindness, and he strongly encouraged my parents to pass it along. Needless to say, my parents and I now both buy coffee for one person behind us when we stop at Starbucks. This act isn't to be recognized or to gain attention, but simply to pass along the idea of doing "nice" and kind things. I know society and the media have shed light on these random acts before, but again, that is defeating the whole purpose of the act. It's simple, sweet, and genuine. Pass it on.    

Being Aware

To start off I suppose I should go about explaining what "spirit week" is at my high school. Typically, our spirit week takes place once every couple months, usually corresponding with beginning of every sport season; Winter, Fall, or Spring. This Fall our student officers decided to theme our spirit week around the idea of raising awareness of breast cancer; in other words: this week is pink week. Every day is labeled as a different theme such as, twin day, or deck-out day, with the idea of wearing some form of pink everyday. Granted, wearing pink is obviously very difficult for one gender in particular so not everyone participates. But the idea is still present.

However, this being said today in one of my classes me teacher posed us with the question of: "What are all you guys wearing pink for?" Of course, numerous students raised their hands and began to explain what this week was about. He listened thoughtfully but obviously was not convinced by any of their explanations. His next question was a little more offensive, and later went on to accuse us of not doing enough to contribute to the cause. This of course, ruffled many peoples feathers and made a few people huff and puff.Goodness, it made me huff and puff.

Nevertheless, he made his point near the end of the class period when he admitted to us that he wanted to people to get upset; that he wanted to see the frustration and the passion that fueled our arguments. He wanted us to be upset because he claimed: "that was what truly raised awareness."

Although I was upset, and although it took me a few days to get over my stubbornness, I must admit that I agree readily with my teachers comment. The passion is what drives the train, the emotion behind someones words are what you often remember; rather than their the actual words. And this is true for many things, not just raising awareness! This all being said, I want to advocate the importance of being emotional (not to emotional though, you know how us girls can get a little nuh-huh...) and being passionate about what you stand for. For instance, look at me, I am standing up for inner beauty and the pure feeling of being loved because whether we see it or not. . . We all are beautiful.