I try to make it a point not to watch too much television and I especially avoid the news. The constant parade of negativity and awful stories can take my focus off of living through my soul, off of the things that are within my control, and cause needless worry and stress. But even if you avoid the news like I do, you're no doubt aware that the world is going through a particularly ugly time. Our friends, neighbors and families are worrying about money, about the future, about how they will survive. Dwelling on these fears and bad feelings can really bring a person down. But there is a silver lining to this cloud. Now is the ideal time to look inward, and focus on our inner beauty. Let me be clear. For most of us, this is probably not the time for building self-esteem by investing in expensive beauty treatments like Botox or plastic surgery. In fact, some of us may need to cut back on our usual beauty rituals, spending less on facials and manicures, visiting the hairdresser less often and wearing last season's clothes instead of buying an entire new spring wardrobe. But I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you that this is, believe it or not, a good thing. In fact, even if your finances are totally secure, I would suggest joining in solidarity with our friends and neighbors by not tying our self-image to the external. Because by not worrying constantly if our hair is perfect, if our skin is flawless and wrinkle-free, if we're dressed in the clothes we see in the magazines, we can instead concentrate on spiritual growth. And it is only through spiritual growth that our true beauty really shines through. If you're one of those women who only feels beautiful when you adhere to a very rigid and specific beauty ritual, this might sound a little confusing. How are you supposed to build confidence by doing less about your appearance and not more? The answer is that I am not exactly asking you to do less. I am asking you to do different. Instead of spending an hour in the aesthetician's chair getting a facial, spend an hour in quiet meditation, trying to connect with the real beauty in your soul. Instead of spending money to try to force your appearance to conform to a pre-set standard, build confidence by spending time become the most beautiful person you can possibly be on the inside. Think about sharing your beauty with others with every moment, and every action. Approach every person, challenge and activity with an open heart and an open mind. Let yourself feel the joy in the little things in a child's voice, in the first flowers of spring, in a sunset. And feel the beauty in your own face and body just as they are, as a map of your whole, beautiful life. If we take this time as a gift, not as a punishment, if we use it to focus on what really matters, our true beauty can only grow. And that can turn this ugly time into a beautiful one. Copyright (c) 2009 Dawn McIntyre
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