The power of being natural - Why we are best, being just the way we are
'To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else, is the greatest accomplishment' - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Being yourself. Being natural. That sounds much easier than it actually is. Over the years we have learned how to fit in, to integrate us, to ease-in. Society has opened its arms to those who´ve been harmonically swimming with the tide. But what about charmy naturalness, unsophistication and imperfection? What about freckles and tooth spaces, slips and tumbles, love-handles and double chins?
What about being humanly imperfect? What about authenticity?
Be yourself! Everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde
I have always adored Alicia Keys for her outstanding work as a musician. But since the 20th of October 2016 I also love her for something else: her decision to completely stop wearing makeup. The mentioned day she appeared at the MTV Video Musik Awards - just the way she is. Obviously, the media was flipping out. One year later magazines and news sites are still discussing the issue. Incredible!
That shows how distorted our world has become!
A friend of mine said recently: Girls are best dressed just wearing a pair of jeans and a basic t-shirt.
I couldn´t agree more.
Marilyn Monroe said once: 'A smile is the best makeup a girl can wear.'
Jeans, t-shirt and a smile. That sounds fantastic to me - for girls and boys just as well.
If I have learned something about life and love and relationships, then it´s that:
We fall in love with the imperfections,
not with perfections.
Think about your own experiences: Have you ever felt attracted by somebody sho seemed to be absolutely perfect? Who didn´t show any rough edges, any little mistakes, anything which made him or her special?
In a world which is dominated by the attention economy´s no. 1 discipline of constant comparison, in a world where everybody tries to be like all the others, in a world where a lot of people would probably do anything for a like, it has become quite challenging to just be yourself.
But actually people feel attracted by things like a natural smile, an extraordinary voice, the way somebody accidentally mispronounces a word, freckles of sun and hair twirled by the wind. We fall in love with the imperfections, not with perfections. That´s why we should look into the mirror from time to time and ask ourselves: is it me, or just a copy of myself?
What is your rough edge, your little something that makes YOU special?
Marly -
Picture sources
Title (Alicia Keys): http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/
Hugo Boss ad: http://i1212.photobucket.com/
Tiny things quote: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/
Such refreshing thoughts... Joy... I am relaxing into myself right now too! Thank you for your potent sharing filled of truth as a powerful call to integrity and healthy relationships along the sides of diversity in harmonics.
All for one and one for all! Namaste :)
Agree entirely... being ourselves is not only the best thing we can do for ourselves, it also has great healing powers for anyone who has spent too long trying to "be their image" rather than themselves.
The nice thing about truly relaxing into yourself is that you know the people who find you interesting/attractive are there for YOU, and not because they were merely drawn to the fake image you projected.
There is so much wisdom in your words, I´ve really enjoyed reading your comment @denmarkguy.
Thank you!!!
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I'm actually cynical as hell, but I champion love and understanding wherever I go.
It can be a bit off-putting. Like, sure we're all just a bunch of monkeys humping each other, but that doesn't mean it doesn't come from a place of love.
Good post, I appreciate your insight.
Very well said, @catharcissism. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me :)
I have more rough edges than a saw blade. Some cause people to love me and some cause people to fall out of love with me. Talk about a double-edged sword.
I think we all have these edges and some know how to appreciate them and some not. The ones who don´t are not made for us, though...:)
@denmarkguy had a very nice thought in the same context, I will copy again here:
Thanks for stopping by and supporting me, @sgtechservices! As always it´s been much appreciated :)
I always preferred natural. I actually only ever dated (married) people who were natural. :)
If I were not into natural I'd need to pack around an Air Brush in my pocket so I could air brush the blemishes off of everyone I encountered. They need to look fake to be REAL. :)
Haha, an air brush would be nice sometimes! :))
Thanks for stoppying by @dwinblood. I totally agree on your 'natural pattern', even though I am not married yet.
You never have to deal with "I can't let him see me without my face on", and other than wild hair, a person doesn't look that different in the morning when they wake up. :)
OH believe me I look different in the morning sometimes!!! :-D
Great read! I didn't know that about Alicia Keys, I think it's a great thing she's done. Myself, I don't ever wear make-up. It's too much of a hassle and I don't want to become one of those women who's afraid to show people her face without make-up.
I love being around people who are able to be themselves. All the fakeness in the world gets so tiring and those are the kind of people I would never want to be friends with. I had a boyfriend once, who was so worried about what other people thought of him, he was a completely different person in public. That's something I just couldn't live with! I think it stressed him out aswell, he just didn't seem to realize it.
I'm so glad there are still people who love themselves for who they are. I'm not perfect; I hurt myself all the time (by accident!) or throw stuff on the floor (again, accident!). I'm not always happy with the way I look, but I would never hide it underneath a layer of make-up.
It's hard to be yourself in this world, but I think it pays out in the end. Maybe not everyone will like you, but atleast you'll like yourself and you'll have attracted people who fit who you really are.
Wow! Thank you! These were a lot of wise words.
I came to know many people who are showmen like the one you mentioned, too. Most of the time they had a self-esteem problem. They just didn´t feel comfortable in their own body. That´s the worst thing, because natural acting people are so much more accessible than the ones who wear a mask. I couldn´t live with a boyfriend like the one you described either.
Again, thanks for sharing your wise thoughts with me (and all the others) :)