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True Beauty

Thursday 27 September, 2007 Written by BeON Staff

Discovering Your Inner Glow

We live in a culture obsessed with beauty. Billboards and magazine covers tug at our eyeballs and heartstrings with images of smoothness and symmetry. And there are plenty of “experts” out there to tell us what we need to do to become beautiful…or at least, less ugly.
But what is beauty, really? We’ve all known “beautiful” people with sour expressions, cold hearts, or chewing gum for brains… Were they actually beautiful? On the flip side, we’ve all known people who weren’t classically beautiful, but there was something utterly captivating in their bright eyes, their generous smiles, their playful spirit, or their sheer confidence. These people are so captivating because they’ve mastered the secret of inner beauty. A woman with inner beauty puts us at ease and makes us feel like we're "home." You don't need mind-blowing cheekbones to do that...just a warm, welcoming presence that tells people "Everything is wonderful: YOU are wonderful, I am wonderful..." Inner beauty reveals itself when you feel happy, peaceful, rested, and comfortable. Think of a woman who is angry or bitter: what is resonating from her soul? How does that make you feel? Then think of a peaceful, calm woman: how do you feel when you're with her – what is resonating from her presence?
	Inner beauty doesn’t just bring out the best in oneself but in others as well. It highlights their strengths, victories, joys, and successes. It makes them feel good to be alive – and happy to be in your company. A woman with inner beauty is empathetic: she puts herself in others' shoes. When people feel joy or pain, she feels a portion of it too. She's compassionate and open to other people.
She's friendly and sincere, authentic and approachable. You may already radiate this empathy, compassion, and authenticity... but you can always go deeper. The best part of your inner beauty is that it neither fades nor goes gray but shines brighter as you acquire more confidence and wisdom. Cultivating inner beauty is a life long journey into joy. Light Switches for your Inner Glow Focus on what you do well. Who cares if you can't – or don't want to – run a half marathon, paint gorgeous watercolors, or decorate like Martha Stewart? Give yourself a pat on the back for doing that thing that makes you a good friend, partner, or mother. Did you tell a store clerk, "Thanks – have a great day!" – and mean it? Good for you! When you do something really well at work or take responsibility for making a mistake, toot your own horn to those in your inner circle of family and friends. Encourage them to do the same. If you don't know what your strengths and talents are, do a little investigatory work. If you can't think of a single thing you do well, start retraining your brain. Read books about finding yourself and self-improvement, and don't let fear of honesty hinder you.
Shine the spotlight on other people. Instead of talking about your horrible day or stressful moments, encourage others to share a bit of themselves with you. Ask how they're doing, and stop to listen to their answers. Put yourself in their shoes. We all crave a little kindly attention, even if it doesn't go beyond compassionate listening and a friendly word.
As a woman, your greatest strength is your maternal compassion. To develop compassion and empathy, stretch out of your comfort zone: make eye contact with strangers and practice feeling compassion and appreciation for them..they could be your grandfather, your sister, your son... Everyone is someone else's baby! Your inner beauty will radiate out of you and illuminate others…make the effort to cultivate the better aspect of yourself!