Beauty

When I've made a bride up and seen their eyes swell with the beauty they see in the mirror, I always tell them that it's not the makeup or the hair style that makes them beautiful ... They are already beautiful, I just add a little colour to the, already existing, canvass.

The media would have us believe that beauty depends on how we look, where we live, how we live and how much money we earn ... but that's not beauty ... It's, merely, a false illusion created to keep us in a permanent sense of feeling like something (or a lot) is lacking in our lives. The objective is to make us stay in a system designed to economically enslave us. The weaker and more insecure we feel, the less empowered we are to simply "be" and be happy with what we have, who we are and how we look.

This year, I found it incredibly heart breaking to hear a lovely young bride, in her 30s, say to me that, before me, nobody had ever told her she was beautiful.

For me, beauty comes from all the pain, all the trials and tribulations we've had to overcome in life. Beauty comes from shining a light in the world because you know what it means to suffer and you wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy. Beauty comes from all the scars, all the healed wounds and all the darkness that, as a person, you have had to face, transform and illuminate with your own light. Every wrinkle is beautiful because it's the road map of your incredible life of learning and every struggle you've overcome. Beauty comes from sharing who you are, with others, in a kind and compassionate way with gentleness and grace.

If I've learned one thing in life ... it's that, the people who have suffered the most are the ones who have tremendous amounts of beauty... and that beauty is so real and so incredible, it's like seeing and knowing an Angel... a protector ... a guardian ... Love yourselves beautiful people. You are lacking nothing and you ... yes you reading this, you can honestly move mountains with your beauty.

Happy Women's Day to every woman, girl, child and baby around the world.

To all the beautiful ladies around the world,

It's not easy being a woman nowadays. So much pressure is put upon us to be one way or another, to behave one way or another, to look one way or another. We're given false illusions of what beauty truly is. Everywhere we turn, we're led to believe we're not good enough. We're laughed at, ridiculed, bullied and name called when we don't fit the false standard big corporations (making the money) set for us.

Well, ladies of the world ... let me tell you. You don't have to be any one particular way. There is no right or wrong way of looking, behaving or being as long as you are being true to yourself. You don't have to look like some plastic "Hollywood" fabrication to be accepted. You don't have to dress with as little as possible to show who you are. You are neither your looks nor your clothes. These are cleverly designed marketing strategies to make you feel inadequate. The more you buy, the more big commercial companies laugh all the way tot he bank.

These companies would have you believe you're not beautiful just so you would buy their latest makeup or sunglasses to hide your real beauty. They would have you believe you're not thin enough just so you buy into the latest diet fad and line their pockets with your hard earned cash. They would make you believe that you're never going to fall in love unless you comply to rules they have set, for you, according to their own desire for greed and power.

I'm here to tell you that all you need to be beautiful, radiant, full of love and desirable, is to be a woman of substance - A woman of compassion, a woman who knows what she wants and how to get it - A woman who doesn't need to trample all over others to get to where she wants to go. All you need is to have the inner strength to stand up and be who you truly are within you, and trust me, who you truly are within is more beautiful than makeup, clothes and the latest fad diet.

All you need to receive love, kindness and compassion from others is to give that love, kindness and compassion. However, let me tell you that there is no greater love in this world than the love you can give yourself. If you want happiness, learn to be happy and share that happiness with others.  Whatever you put out into this world is what you will get back tenfold.

All you need is to shine bright like the true star you really are and illuminate the way for yourself and others. Be firm if necessary but never lose your tenderness. Be strong but don't forget to be flexible and delicate. Cry if you have to but 9 times out of 10 make sure they're tears of happiness. See beauty everywhere you go and beauty will be seen in you. Learn to forgive and forget and, for sure, others will forgive and forget too. Laugh out loud and others will laugh with you. Be infectious and spread the light you have within.

Above all just be yourself and if "yourself" doesn't fit in with everyone else, be proud that you stand out from the crowd. The world needs people who are different and who break free from the chains that binds society. Don't be afraid to be that difference and make a difference.

When you look at yourself in the mirror, be proud of who you are and what you've become. Honour yourself. Love every curve and every line for only you can know the true extent of this life journey you've been on.  Be proud to be one of life's survivors. Be proud to be a woman.

Most of all ... don't forget to simply "be a woman."

Don't forget one important thing ... Don't let anyone tell you "you can't". You can be whatever you want. You can whatever you set your mind, body and soul to. All you need is the determination to succeed and the courage to see your dreams through. Remember, all dreams are just dreams until you put them into practice. Add the effort on your part and they become reality. Just go for it!

Happy women's day!

Please feel free to share this if you think it contains a message that is relevant for any woman you know.

Photo courtesy of http://www.fantasticprovence.com