Beauty

I've been thinking a lot about beauty lately. I've been studying color, fashion, body shapes, make-up techniques, hair styles, and all sorts of other stuff. The most important theme I've picked up on from all the online videos I've watched, books I've read and people I've talked to is this: work with what you've got and accentuate the positives. Everyone can look great and feel great just by knowing what works best for them. When I first started this study, my husband was afraid that I'd start to get down on myself and feel badly about how I look. But what I've learned has done just the opposite for me! I've learned about what colors look best on me so I don't waste money on clothes or make-up that aren't flattering to my natural coloring. I've also learned about what my body shape is and how I can dress to highlight the best things about my figure. I've learned about how to style my hair so that it looks almost as good as it does after I get it professionally styled. Now, I'm still experimenting, but I'm definitely making progress and am feeling great about what I've learned.

 

Houston LDS Temple

Celestial Room in the Mexico City LDS Temple

Now for the more spiritual side of beauty.  In the Bible it reminds us that the body is a temple. I don't know if you've ever seen an LDS temple before but each one is beautiful on the outside. If you've ever been inside one, you would know that they are very beautifully decorated as well. It just wouldn't fit if the outside didn't match the inside or visa versa. If our bodies are temples, it seems like they should be beautiful inside and out. Our outward appearance should be a reflection of our inner beauty. Over the last few weeks, I've learned to accept the things I can't change about my body and just work on playing to my strengths. In doing so,  I've found a lot of peace and contentment.

In case you're interested, here are a couple books that I've found most helpful:

Great Hair by Nick Arrojo

Color Me Confident by Veronique Henderson and Pat Henshaw