One of my goals for this weekend was to do some much needed shopping for an upcoming trip. I needed to stock up on gym clothes, pajamas, and clothes I don’t wear too much such as khakis and shirts with collars. Not only did I find great deals, but I was surprised to find that I was buying smaller clothing. My shirt size is down a size and my pants size is down 1.5 (almost 2) sizes. I haven’t dropped too much since the #fatoff started, but I had been on an exercise regimen before that so in the past three months total, I’m down about 20.

I’m happy because my hard work is paying off and in the long run I know I will be healthier. As I’ve stated before I’m able to run longer distances again and able to keep up longer than I thought I would be able to. My heart doesn’t sky rocket when I exercise either.

When I came home, I ran across this video a friend had shared on Facebook:

I decided to share it out myself as well and received a couple thank yous for spreading it on.

I’ve spent the past hour thinking about it a lot though. Most women, girls, teenagers, people in general, aren’t aware of how much models and celebrities are airbrushed and warped in printed advertisements and media. Hell, even in films and commercials. When people wake up in the morning, when they don’t put on makeup, when they don’t spent 3 hours having hair extensions put in, they look just like everyone else does. Then the more I thought about it, I realized that most of us probably look better because we try to achieve that image, that look of perfection.

It was then that I became truly happy. I realized I’m beautiful, even without the small amount of makeup I put on everyday, without my jewelry and accessories, and without dressing to the 9′s. I’m beautiful in my pajamas. I’m beautiful in my gym clothes and I’m beautiful when I’m having a bad hair day.  I’m beautiful when I’m laughing, when I’m dancing, when I’m crying, and when I’m doing nothing at all. I’m beautiful without going unsafe distances to turn myself into (as Bridget Jones would say) an “American stick insect.”

You are also beautiful. You are beautiful for what you have accomplished in life. You are beautiful for your talents. You are beautiful because you smile every day. You are beautiful because you are being you.

Stop trying to achieve goals of perfection that no one else can even realistically achieve. Start being you. Then you will truly become beautiful.

A big thank you to Dove for this commercial.