Life is beautiful!

One of the absolute best things about the world wide web is the fact that anybody and everybody can share their hopes, dreams, thoughts, wisdom, advice- well, just about anything they want. Yes, of course, you have to take the good with bad, but, now and then, you happen upon something really good. The other day I happened across something really, really good.

A post on elepantjournal.com titled “50 Reasons Why You Are Absolutely Beautiful” by a yoga instructor named Linnea Jensen-Stewart, caught my eye. I read the first few lines and I was definitely intrigued...


”Beauty is this word that is often thrown around conditionally... To me, beauty is a celebration of everything in our lives- even the stuff that we shove deep down in hopes of never seeing that “ugliness” again- it’s the organic substance that fuels our gorgeous smile, and breathtaking laugh. Beauty in its rawness can’t be faked.”

She definitely nailed it with  her opening words-”Beauty is a celebration of everything in our lives.” Love it. “Beauty in its rawness can’t be faked.” Powerful words. Her list of “50 Reasons” was incredibly thought provoking, inspiring, and insightful.

Here’s my faves:

• You are beautiful when you are afraid to do something, and you do it anyway.
• If you have been to hell and back, your resilience is beautiful.
• Your eyes are beautiful. Nobody else has eyes like yours. They are deep and authentic and instantly recognizable.
• Beauty is being brave enough to embrace your feelings- the good, the bad, and the ugly. To open yourself to the possibility that there is something magnificent there.
• Beauty is laughing so hard your stomach hurts and you’re yelling, “Stop! Seriously, I’m peeing!” Yes. Peeing your pants can be beautiful.
• Beauty is not letting ignorance be mistaken for truth. Even if you’re the one in the dark.
• Beauty is calling someone out for saying something hurtful, even if you weren’t the one getting hurt.
• Intelligence is beautiful.
• Humor. There is nothing more beautiful than laughter.
• Compassion is very, very beautiful.
• Strong opinions are beautiful.
• Respecting other people’s strong opinions is beautiful too.
• Beauty is your hometown, whether you love it or hate it, because it helped shape you who you are.
• Listening is beautiful. Choosing to respond instead of react- even if you don’t want to hear it- trusting that there is always something valuable in someone else’s words.
• Having faith in someone else’s word, because we know we’ve been true to our own. That is beautiful.
• It is beautiful to find the strength to ask for help when you need it. No matter how successful you are. We all feel like we’re drowning sometimes, and we would all be glad to pull you from the rapids.
• Beauty is loving your pet as much as they love you.
• Humility is beautiful.
• It is beautiful to be grateful to all the strong people who came before you: the ones who raised you, the ones who fought for your rights, the ones who were burned at the stake because they were too powerful.
• Happiness is beautiful. Never be ashamed of being happy.

Beauty is grace, fear, respect, compassion, laughter, tears, faith, humility and love. Beauty is anything and everything you want it to  be. So often we get wrapped up in the physical aspects of beauty that we forget about the beauty that surrounds us in our daily lives. Take a moment to stop and think about what’s beautiful in your life. Accept it. Appreciate it. Own it. Love it. Life is beautiful.

Here's the link to the complete list. I promise, it's all awesome. http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/12/50-reasons-why-you-are-absolutely-beautiful--linnea-jensen-stewart/