More and more women are learning the value of inner beauty. But inner beauty isn’t the only thing that counts.
LaNae Valentine, a licensed clinical social worker, says most women can’t separate inner beauty from outer beauty. But there are ways to like the way you look, and like yourself, at the same time.
Excerpt from Why I Don’t Hide My Freckles Anymore
“Today, I’m comfortable with my own blindingly white skin. I stopped hating my freckles. I married a man who loves them and loves me. I smile when I see freckles sprinkled across the bridge of my daughter’s nose. I tell her they are kisses from the sun. I don’t hide mine under layers of makeup anymore. The freckles are part of me: a quirky, individual, distinct part of me – and I’ve decided they are beautiful.
“It takes courage to look at ourselves, sharing the hyperawareness of our own imperfections and flaws, and then say that we are beautiful. But when we do that a funny thing happens. We start to believe it. We are empowered to see beauty in ourselves, and that leads to finding beauty in the people around us.”
Reviews &Thoughts about Why I Don’t Hide My Freckles Anymore
I’m thrilled to be a part of this terrific anthology, which includes essays that will make you cry, laugh, and think about what beauty really is. These short blurbs made me reconsider the power of words, and how we use them to judge or validate each other. These words have lasting effects. Almost every story had a moment where the writer was told that she was not beautiful, and she believed them (mine included). But almost every story also portrays the path the writer takes to reclaim her beauty, realizing that beauty is not dependent on a flippant and untrue remark. It made me want to speak more carefully to my own daughters, and make sure that I tell them, every day, that they are beautiful. (Lisa Rumsey Harris)
Reflection and writing allow us to see ourselves and others more truthfully, more compassionately. Our personal experiences challenge the illusion of culture. We begin to see how unfulfilling and shallow the messages are. We sense a newfound strength and power to stand up to false standards of self-worth and refuse to allow ourselves to be merchandise in the marketing of beauty. Real beauty isn’t merely decorative; its primary function is to connect – to our innermost beings to one another and to the world around us. Real beauty does not divide or diminish us – it opens and inspires us. It is not only possible but natural to live peacefully in our body, to be comfortable in our own skin, for each of us to love our bodies and find ourselves beautiful. (LaNae Valentine)
I love books like this that offer so many points of view from women and writers in all different stages of their lives. We would be wise to read a chapter a day, or to share this book with our daughters and friends. (Amazon.com/Goodreads)
For more insight on this topic, pick up LaNae’s recently published book. It’s called “Why I Don’t Hide My Freckles Anymore: Perspective on True Beauty.”
You can find it at local Deseret Book stores, or online.
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