Today’s Mom Tears™are brought to you by actual tears.
Being a parent is never easy. We all struggle trying to find balance, we all worry…. somehow though, we find strength to move forward. UNTIL we see our children upset.
Kids will be kids, and sometimes the only way they can vocalize internal struggles it at the expense of another. I understand bullying. Yes, it is wrong, but sometimes words are tossed around without the realization of their weight.
Hey, I get it – we all want to belong. When we are young it’s the clothes on our backs or the things we have that separate us from the “in” crowd. When we get older some want to keep up with the Jones’, and some of us feel freed from trying to fit and are content to stand back.
When my youngest girl came home in tears for being teased for wearing the same clothes all the time, it opened up conversation about what makes each of us beautiful. Yeah, we are ALL BEAUTIFUL!! We talked about all the ways I spend money, the things that they each do and about choices. She did not see me cry nor hear my heart break. I too remember words that were spoken without the realization of the weight they had in my young, naïve mind. She propelled me to challenge myself and it is here I challenge you.
I wore the same outfit every single day for a week.
Every day I took a picture with someone new. I asked each person two questions:
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What makes a person beautiful?
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Do you think I look ok?
No big deal, right? Umm . . .
I worry so much about what I wear that I sometimes change numerous times each morning before leaving the house. I am terrified of how I am perceived and my fear of rejection sometimes has me bailing out of social situations. I am putting it all out there because I truly believe the most beautiful thing we put on each day is a smile – not the clothes we wear.
Each day that week I was blessed beyond belief to stand with beautiful women. Mothers, business owners, role models. Each of them bright lights living lives by example.
We are all connected. We need each other to grow and set example for the girls who look up to us. Our clothes do not matter; it is what is on the inside that shines out.
It has been a great experiment. Thank you for sharing your smiles and your giggles with me.
Side note to self: if you do this again pick a flat shoe!!!!!
Setting an example for my daughter was an important part of this. Apparently she appreciated it.
If you think you are up for the challenge, I look forward to seeing your beautiful smiles shared on the Glitter in the Trenches Facebook page or tag Glitter in the Trenches on Instagram @glitterinthetrenches with the hashtag #GTChallenge1
We are all in this together.
❤ Leigh
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Glitter In the Trenches 