Week 27 Theme: Beautiful ME
I'm going to be honest. I'm nervous about this theme! The thing is that I started this project to help women discover their true beauty, so I am hoping that half way through this project, we have gained enough strength to attempt this theme. To me, true beauty is not about perfect skin, or gorgeous, shiny hair, or delicate model-like features. To me, true beauty is when all the good in a person, their kindness, their spunky, fun personality, their zest for life, shines through from the inside to the outside. The viewer of the photograph catches a glimpse of who they truly are. This can be very difficult to achieve, but when it happens it a priceless and treasured photograph.
I believe that there is such a double standard in society. A man is able to talk about his accomplishments or himself, and is seen only as "confident". If a woman does the same thing, she is called "arrogant", "full of herself", or the B word. By the time we reach adulthood, we are barely able to accept a compliment, let alone compliment ourselves. To say the words "I'm beautiful", or "I feel pretty", or "I really love my eyes" just feels wrong. I'm not suggesting that we all suddenly become vain, walking around constantly taking selfies with our phones as we pose seductively, pucker our lips, suck in our bellies and push out our chests as if we are The Shit. I am suggesting that this week, we allow (or force ourselves) ourselves to feel beautiful... Because we ARE.
(This feels like another week that I need to accept more than one submission in our private group. Let your beauty overflow our feeds!!)
If anyone would like to join us, we would love to have you! Head over to our private Facebook page and ask to join. Or, if you just want to follow along for inspiration, you can follow the project on Instagram @jenkashak.