I Feel Pretty

Last night, I got dressed up and went out downtown, and on a harbor cruise, with some friends who I haven't seen in a few weeks. I felt good about myself as I was getting dressed to go, and I realized that I was feeling something that isn't a permanent condition. I felt pretty. I had gotten a pedicure and manicure on Friday, I was wearing a beautiful dress, sexy shoes and my hair and make-up were just right. I felt confident, sexy and excited to go out.

This may seem strange to many of you, that I'm actually writing an entire post about this, but I feel the need to draw attention to the fact that it hasn't always been this way. There was a time in my life when I felt anything but beautiful, hiding my body and not even wanting to look in the mirror because my self-esteem was pretty much non-existent.

There are many things that happened in my lifetime that kept me from feeling the way I do now and I won't get into that here, but for many young women, feeling beautiful is not something we experience. I saw a video from Dove earlier this week and a photo from Glamour which caused a lot of stir which got me thinking about body image and what I have personally overcome to get to the point where I am now.

Some may think I'm being arrogant or selfish or perhaps I'm vanity-driven now because I can confidently say that I feel good about myself and how I look. But the truth of the matter is, it's not about looks. It's about that feeling that I have inside me. The confidence, the way that I'm able to look others in the eye and can speak proudly and with great ease, speak my opinion and share my thoughts and ideas without worrying what others may think of me.

Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and we may not all be attracted to the same piece of art or have the same definition of what is attractive, but we all recognize beautiful people when we see them, those that we want to be around, that are fun to spend time with and that are compassionate and genuine and honest, both with their words and the actions that they take.

I feel pretty today and I don't feel silly saying it because I know where I've been, I see that young girl who I used to be and I recognize that despite my imperfections, I wouldn't change a thing.

Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty is trying to make a difference in the lives of young girls by creating workshops on self-esteem. You can learn more over at their website.

Words of Wisdom

Things have changed since I was in high school and certainly since my parents were teenagers. Young people today are constantly "connected" and social networking has changed the way people meet, date and get to know one another.

One thing that I noticed is that my perception, of myself and the world, has changed quite drastically since I was young.

My life experiences have made me more confident, more comfortable and because of this, more attractive. I'm not afraid to look someone in the eye and say this and I hope that all young women will embrace this knowledge for themselves:

A woman should not expect to feel special because a man treats her well. She should expect a man to treat her well because she is special.