I was at Christmas Eve service when the pastor called up all the young kids for Children’s Moment – a time for the young kids to hear the message of the service from the pastor in simpler terms. In small clusters, the kids filed up the aisle to the front looking to see if any others were following when I peered at one of the last little girls to go up. She had on a black and red gingham dress and little white shoes with a bow on top. Her long black hair had soft curls and she had beautiful brown eyes and a sweet smile – she reminded me of the American Girl Dolls I collected as a little girl. I found this little 6-year-old girl to be absolutely beautiful. I could see her beauty clear as day, and I could already envision her being a heart stopper in high school and college.

It slowly caught my attention wondering if this small innocent girl could see her own beauty. Could she see that her smile made me smile and her eyes really did captivate people? She in her own way was living example of true beauty and she didn’t need a 6 pack stomach or flawless makeup to convey it. Do I see my own beauty that others may see in me? We are used to thinking of beauty as what we see in magazines or on television, but in reality, that’s not the only form of beauty in this world. It’s being confident in your own skin, owning every flaw and imperfection as your own, pinching your stomach and realizing that little bit of fat means you’re human, and so much more. I know we hear this type of speech all the time, but why do we continue to go back to the same thought process as usual of cutting ourselves down? It’s harmful to ourselves, the relationships we have with others, and society as a whole.

When we learn to love ourselves amazing things happen.

You realize how important your inner beauty is over your looks such as your humor or knowledge of random facts.

You realize that you care more about how you look and spend way too much time trying to ‘fix’ yourself than others see in you.

You realize that you are worth it, and you have nothing to prove to other people.

Make it your goal to focus on your inner beauty, not how you look on the outside. If you are happy, confident, and comfortable with your body then own it. Talk to yourself like you would talk to that little girl you think is beautiful. Because she thinks you’re beautiful, too.