Recapturing Beauty Challenge: Day 9

List 10 things you like about what your body does.

1. My body can experience many wonderful things. I am grateful for my body because it allows me to experience the joy of 5 senses: I can enjoy the comfort of a warm bed on a cold winter night, the smell of the fresh basil growing in my kitchen, the beautiful sounds of music and the sound of laughter, the beauty of the mountains outside my window, and I can taste the flavor of the delicious Thai food my roommate made us for dinner recently.

2. I can think rationally and make decisions thanks to my amazing brain. I can learn from the things I do and become better every day. My brain is truly a remarkable thing. It is so complex and allows me to think deeply about life, to analyze how I can become better and to think about the effects my actions have on my life.

3. My body can understand and respond to pain. I am grateful that my body warns me when I am experience pain or fatigue so I can make decisions to take care of my body.

4. My body allows me to move. I can do zumba and go hiking, two things I really love.

5. My body houses a spirit that allows me to grow close to my Heavenly Father and choose to do what is right. I am also made in the image of my Heavenly Father, so my body is special just because of that!

6. I chose to come to Earth and receive a body so that I could one day experience eternal life with my Heavenly Father. Thus, my body is special because it is central to the plan of salvation.

7. My body bears resemblance to some of my family members. This helps me to feel connected to my family.

8. I love that I can smile. When I smile, I automatically feel happier and I remember that my life truly is a gift and that I can make each day a good day.

9. My body has a complex system that keeps me alive. It really is miraculous how a machine with so many parts works so well together.

10. My body can heal. I don't understand how this works, but I think it is amazing that though it may take time, my body can be healed from all injuries. Even our hearts and brains can heal from the pain of emotional trauma and it becomes less severe with time. It really is such a blessing.

There are so many more things to love about my body, it really is quite an amazing thing!

Recapturing Beauty Challenge: Day 8

THE CHALLENGE: Instead of looking at your body as something to be fixed, look at it through the eyes of your ancestors. Generations of women have come before you and you have inherited their genes. Instead of looking at your nose as something to be fixed, learn about its history. Does your nose come from your mother or father’s side? What about your eyes? Your hair? Your body type?

Where some of my traits come from that I know of:

• my eyes: I think these come from my mom's side
• my body type: definitely my mom's side. I am not always happy with this because my dad's side has a type of body that I sometimes wish I had, but this week I am learning to love my body so I am trying to embrace my shape anyways! 
• my hair: definitely from my dad's side. I have thinner hair which I am pretty sure is from his side, whereas my mom's side tends to have thicker, more unmanageable hair?

I guess I need to find some pictures of my ancestors to finish this challenge :)

Recapturing Beauty Challenge: Day 3

Reflect on why you wear makeup. What does makeup do for you? Is it part of getting ready or taking care of yourself? Is it a mask you hide behind? Do you feel enslaved by it? Would you like to change how you feel about it? Depending on your answers, choose to either go without makeup today or continue to reflect on makeup’s place in your life.

I wear make-up for two main reasons: 

1. My sisters or friends encourage me to try new make-up.

2. I feel prettier when I wear it. 

However, I am in no way enslaved by make-up. I spend about 2 minutes putting it on in the morning and I have even stopped wearing mascara during the week. (I still put it on on weekends). I take almost any excuse to not wear make-up. When I go home, I don't really put on make-up unless we are going somewhere nice. Hiking? no make-up. Camping? no make-up. Saturday? no make-up. Showered? I don't want to get ready twice... no make-up. 

Recapturing Beauty Challenge: Day 1

I am taking the Recapturing Beauty challenge this week through BYU.

Today is day one of the challenge:

Using sticky notes or other small pieces of paper, write positive and encouraging words and messages to yourself. Tape these inspiring words and phrases all around the outside of your mirror and leave them up through the entire 10 Day Challenge. Too often, we use the mirror as a way to analyze and criticize ourselves or our bodies. Instead of using the mirror as a weapon against yourself, start to see it as a means of highlighting your positive characteristics and attributes.

Questions for the day: What positive words or phrases would your friends, family, or Heavenly Father add to your mirror?

-You can work hard and achieve your goals.
-You can accomplish great things.
-You are so blessed to have a body that allows you to exercise and do the things you love most.
-I love you so much.
-You have infinite worth because you are a daughter of God.
-You are so kind and caring.


Which of the words or phrases from your mirror do you most want to believe? That is your mantra for the day.
           My one phrase from the mirror that I chose was that "I can achieve something today." I feel like many of my days I do not apply myself as much as I should. This positive saying reminded me that I can accomplish small things and improve every day and that I have control over myself and my choices.

At the opening activity, they encouraged us to reach out to our friends and family and encourage them to be more loving and accepting of their bodies. So, remember, your beauty comes from so much more than what you look like. You are a beautiful girl/woman no matter your size, height, hair color, etc... and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't obsess about your appearance because your beauty is so much more than that and when you try to focus on the positive in your life, you will be so much happier!