Maybe because it’s “bikini season” or maybe because I am recently postpartum with my second child, but whatever the reason, I feel strongly convicted to remind you of a powerful truth: mama, you are ridiculously beautiful exactly as you are today.
If you don’t believe me, notice the way your young children’s eyes light up when they see you. You are their first reference point for beauty, and they adore you. Regardless of your weight, your fashion sense, your skin – to them, you are the very definition of beautiful.
My daughter is two, and while she mostly looks at me with the impatient expectation of fruit snacks, every once in a while, I catch her looking intently at me with so much love that I am able to see myself through her eyes. It’s almost overwhelming to switch from viewing myself with the flaws I’ve dutifully cataloged over the past 32 years to viewing myself as her beloved mama.
If your children are older, then sure, they may not spend too much time gazing longingly at you. Even so, you were still that first reference point for beauty, and truly, you will remain that person for the rest of their lives, just like your mom likely is for you today.
I’m confident in this knowledge because I was a pretty horrid teen. Many times, I regretted that my mom didn’t take a greater interest in fashion or her appearance, and I know I wasn’t gracious about these feelings. That said, I never thought she wasn’t beautiful, rather, I wanted her to know that she was worth the investment in herself. To this day, she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.
Similarly, I hope that you know you are beautiful already and you do not need to change. If you are motivated to start a new workout routine or undergo a mini-makeover, do so because you know you’re worth it. And if you are not motivated to explore eyelash extensions or a juice cleanse, mama, that’s more than fine. Rest in your confidence in your own natural beauty and the knowledge that the only people who matter find you drop dead gorgeous.
