The things we do to ourselves in the name of beauty!

by Staff Writer

What happened to us between then - young, wild raggamuffins - and now - super sleek business skinny mocha latte drinking adult(ish) people? Where did all this insecurity come from and how do we shun it away?! Somewhere in there between then and now someone got to us. Someone got us good and made us think we need to be SkInNiEr, CutEr, more FasHioNaBle, SmArtEr, SeXiEr, fAsTer and pretty much anything but who we are.

So, with a degree in hand and our future squarely looking at us in the face we look for that stable long term job with a retirement plan that comes with Office Ken or Office Barbie so we can fulfill that tall order: the  image of "success".

Somewhere in that cubicle, our bottoms get bigger and our hip flexors get stiff and Office Ken looks more like Homer Simpson every day and we wonder what the hell we're doing anyway. We consider plastic surgery, going on vacation, having margs with the girls after work, removing all our body hair, getting eyelash extensions and a mani-pedi. But Phew! That's really a lot and it's expensive AND our neighbor who just got divorced ended up on Jerry Springer because of some botched botox and can't blink her eyeballs anymore.

Oh to be a kid again. ... And, why not? Didn't our best friend or grandma or someone always remind us that it is our selves that makes us beautiful anyway - and that is not just a euphemism for being ugly.

I actually really had a crush on Nick Nolte and Jack Nicholson when I was a teenager and lord knows they are not what you would call typical in the sexy-hot department! It was that element of FUN mixed with a little bit of - I don't know - DANGER....

It was the essence of running around in the woods or skinny dipping in the lake or conquering that really challenging climb up a mountain. It is the free range cowboy attitude and hey! Throw in a little James Bond and Audrey Hepburn while you're at it. 

Today, we are lucky. We have hot sweaty yoga classes to go to, women's lib is in full swing in this country and we have freedom and wisdom.

So, let me validate this for you: You are free enough and wise enough to be you - and I am free enough and wise enough to be me. You are Strong, Smart, Sexy and Beautiful AS YOU ARE in your heart and in your body. Cheers to You, Natural You. (Take. Care. Of. You!) 

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