I'm boycotting this month's Self Portrait Challenge theme. After two months of sitting in front of the mirror everyday for at least 10 minutes embracing and claiming my beauty I just don't want to return to focusing on my imperfections. I don't need a theme to do that. I do it pretty well on my own. I think most of us do. We are very good at seeing the beauty and gifts in others and then turning around and verbally massacring ourselves. I know about my imperfections. I know I have wrinkles. I know I have moles and scars. I know I have places that bulge. I know I have flab and cellulite. I know motherhood has forever changed my body. I know I pick at my cuticles. I know I have little fat feet. I know my house is a mess. I know if you walk across my kitchen floor your feet will stick to it. I know my toilet needs a good, thorough cleaning. I know I have laundry piled up (one load still sitting in the washer from Sunday.) I know I live out of my car and it shows. I know all of that and so much more. I know it because I spend entirely too much time dwelling on it, analyzing it, picking it apart in a desperate attempt to either change it or accept it. What I often loose sight of is my beauty. I forget that I'm talented and gifted and unique. I don't focus on my wholeness. I don't tell myself that I am in fact complete. And I'm tired of that. I'm ready to embrace the good stuff. I'm ready to leave kisses on my mirror. I'm ready to smile at myself more. I'm ready to walk with a bit more sass in my step. I'm ready to hug myself tightly under the blanket. I'm ready to hold a yoga pose and feel the strength of my muscles. I'm ready to push aside the imperfections and live out of my wholeness. This doesn't mean that acknowledging and embracing the imperfections isn't necessary. It is. But I've done that and I'm ready for the next step. I'm ready for the more that follows opening your eyes to yourself as truthfully as possible. So this month I won't be showing you my shortcomings and imperfections. This month I'm choosing to let my beauty shine. I'm choosing to show you my wholeness. I'm choosing to say, "look how pretty I am," without shame or fear of being too vain. In many ways I don't think we are vain enough. We push away our beauty, our sexiness, as if it were something to hide. We don't bask in the glow of our radiance near enough. This month I am refusing to let my imperfections dominate my thinking. Instead I am choosing to be bold enough to acknowledge that I am perfect in so many ways. I'm choosing to claim the wholeness, the beauty, the sexiness, the fullness, the completeness, the abundance, the enough-ness, the wonderful perfection of it all. Who wants to join me in the revolution?
you GO girlfriend!
amen.
Posted by: boho | October 03, 2006 at 07:56 PM
by the way...such a beautiful picture of you. you are a goddess.
Posted by: boho | October 03, 2006 at 07:57 PM
a worthy boycott, a beautiful photo.
i hope you DO leave kisses on your mirror. that thought makes me happy.
Posted by: likearadio | October 03, 2006 at 08:16 PM
This is wonderful, refreshing, and inspirational. I am so happy for you that you are trying to embrace your imperfections and also your "perfections." I would love to join the revolution, but it is easy said then done! I will give it my best shot!
Posted by: Nicole | October 03, 2006 at 08:16 PM
My feeling exactly. It's taken me years to stop focusing on the flaws. I know they're there, I see them, I choose to ignore what I can't change without surgery or injected toxins. I can embrace the imperfections without pointing them out for all to see. Bask in your beauty, sweetie, let it all shine.
Posted by: deirdre | October 03, 2006 at 08:19 PM
Ok, seriously. You are so pretty. This photo shows your softness, your femininity, your BEAUTY. Your lips match the flowers and the light warms your skin in such a becoming way. I love this. Good for you.
Posted by: mom on a wire | October 03, 2006 at 08:27 PM
i agree with everyone above. when i first clicked on your blog i was taken aback by this photo. it's a beautiful shot of you. and YES! it's time for kisses on the mirror!
Posted by: ruby | October 03, 2006 at 08:32 PM
I get what you're saying -- in fact, some similar things are what ran through my head when I first read the Oct challenge.
Nevertheless, I'm going to participate. I feel strongly that letting my imperfections shame me is not good for me; that when we share them with others (hopefully in a positive way) it can be good for us and them.
Thanks for sharing, and that's a gorgeous photo.
Posted by: falwyn | October 03, 2006 at 08:47 PM
Yesssssss! Brava! I can surely understand the place you are coming from.
Your photo is absolutely gorgeous.
Posted by: Bedazzzled1 | October 03, 2006 at 08:47 PM
"I'm ready to leave kisses on my mirror. I'm ready to smile at myself more. I'm ready to walk with a bit more sass in my step."
YES, YES!!!! YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL MICHELLE!!! embrace that and celebrate that! what are we all waiting for? why can't we unveil and accept our beauty, all the way from the surface to the core?
Posted by: snowsparkle | October 03, 2006 at 09:12 PM
YAY for you, Michelle!!
And may I just say you look AMAZING in that photo.
Posted by: DebR | October 03, 2006 at 09:58 PM
Keep up with denying the challenge:) You ARE beautiful, and I want to see more!!!
Posted by: Georgia | October 03, 2006 at 10:13 PM
Hi !You are indeed BEAUTIFUL!. Michelle This a nice shot.
Wish you well :) .
Posted by: zingtrial | October 03, 2006 at 10:52 PM
Right on! Enough with the circles of self depreciation! You look amazing as ever!
Posted by: kristine | October 03, 2006 at 11:14 PM
Any number of physical 'imperfections' are totally outvoted by eyes that twinkle. And the most classic beauty is nothing without them.
I say 'imperfections' because nothing is perfect and nothing is normal.
Posted by: Lee | October 04, 2006 at 03:35 AM
You GO beautiful Michelle. Your photos have been so incredible lately ~ yes, to your boycott!
Posted by: kristen | October 04, 2006 at 04:04 AM
as usual, your words have sparked my thoughts.. for me, the semantics of "imperfect" touch deeply and it has taken years and energy to reframe the notion.
Posted by: eileen | October 04, 2006 at 06:08 AM
That is a beautiful picture. Your bringing sexy back! LOL
I agree, we spend way too much time on our imperfections, I know I do.
Posted by: bella | October 04, 2006 at 06:09 AM
Me! I want to!
You are every bit as splendid and heavenly as those gorgeous hydrangea.
Posted by: jos | October 04, 2006 at 06:18 AM
Hi Michelle,
Got to your blog through "Colors On My Mind" and have added your link to my blog. Such wonderful writing. Beautifully soft photo, and message, as well. I struggle with gentleness toward myself, so I've begun the mirror-meditation, too.
Posted by: R's Musings | October 04, 2006 at 07:23 AM
your words are like a sigh of relief...thank you, thank you, thank you...
Posted by: my pink sky | October 04, 2006 at 07:25 AM
GOOD for YOU!!!!
yay!
that's the spirit!
:)
Posted by: gkgirl | October 04, 2006 at 07:37 AM
i'll join!
i echo everyone's sentiments...you're beautiful...
Posted by: bee | October 04, 2006 at 07:44 AM
Amen!
Those eyes, oh those eyes... This photo positively glows.
Posted by: MB | October 04, 2006 at 08:40 AM
BRAVO!
Posted by: erina | October 04, 2006 at 11:46 AM