Cause: You're Beautiful

Can you remember the last time you were around a woman and found yourself thinking how lovely she is?

This happens to me often.  Sometimes while I’m listening to her talk about something she loves. Sometimes when I see her fully engaged in a task.  And sometimes when she laughs.

In each of these moments these women are in a place of confidence and joy.  I am always struck by how beauty follows those two traits.  And how much this trinity lifts me up.  Every single time.

Toni Childs, award-winning singer, songwriter and actress, has built a website focused on celebrating the true beauty that lies in all of us, and the magic we create when we live that beauty.  On CauseYoureBeautiful.com you can see an affirming music video of the Grammy-winning song Because You’re Beautiful, and you can send a link to that video to 10 women who might need to be reminded of their true beauty.  There’s a page where you can declare who you are and what you want to create in your life.  And there’s a page with 25 inspirational men and women who will share their personal stories over the next twelve months as living examples of expressing their lovely, unique selves to the world.

I am thrilled and honored to be one of the 25 Toni chose to encourage and inspire people to live their beauty. Along with the other writers, I’ll be updating my page each month with a new article on my experience of choosing joy in my life.

What we focus on expands. Expanding the confidence, joy and beauty in the world would be a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Superhero

It’s always nice to have good examples to follow.  My friend Kristin is setting one of my favorites, and I can already see the effect she’s having on people.

A couple weeks ago she gave her notice at work.  She doesn’t have another job to go to; which is proving to be hard to understand by some amazingly vocal and well-meaning folks around the office.  What Kristin has is a calling.  She now knows, beyond a doubt, what she wants.

She knows what she wants, and she trusts in her ability to arrange the circumstances in her life to accommodate the drummer (however measured or far away) she hears.

I’ve been thinking about Kristin, her certainty and the actions she’s taking as a result. She is leaping, and I absolutely believe she’s going to land on her feet.  She will be more than fine, she’ll be fabulous, because she has what most people look for all their lives and never find: a sound belief in herself and her abilities.

What better example could we have to live by?  Learn more about Kristin and how she’s leaving her job and selling her house to travel around the world at midleap.com.

If you’re willing to live from your convictions and fulfill your destiny, then what others perceive as taking chances are simply the ways you choose to elevate your life.   -Dr. Wayne W. Dyer from Excuses Begone!