For me, personal empowerment in part comes from being honest about “the journey” of who I am. It’s about where I’ve come from and where I’m going. It’s about reaching deep for courage to find my voice around topics that are meaningful to me and taking appropriate risks to both share and live those messages out loud, so that in some way my experience may be of value or service to others as well.
Empowerment is a beautiful journey, not a destination….I believe it’s something that comes from nurturing a healthy and authentic identity and mindset – actually, think: mind, body and soul.
The good news?
Each of us have the ability to live an empowered and aligned beautiful life, yes…..from the inside-out!
The challenge?
The mind, body, and soul – they never seem to arrive at perfection or completion. It’s like they live in a garden that – dang it, always needs to be cultivated, weeded, and tilled else weeds of doubt, confusion, comparison (and more) sprout up and choke out the beauty right before our very eyes.
Have you ever experienced that? I sure have, yet I think weeds in any category of life exist to gift us the opportunity to garden and grow into the empowered individuals we were designed to be:-).
To that point, below I’m sharing an exchange between a community member on Uniquely Savvy’s fan page and myself regarding a recent post.
My hope in being transparent is threefold:
1. The reader is reminded that no one is immune from the “weeds” (no, not even me).
2. The reader comes to realize our our hope is not found in our looks. The greater hope is in developing a sound mindset around truth, because when we do that, I
believe a lot of the other things -to include body image – begin to naturally take care of themselves.
3. The reader reflects on their own journey to their empowered self and is inspired to cultivate, weed, or celebrate…or do all three!
Imperfectly, beautifully, on the journey – Me… Happy #Truth Tuesday, XO
Private Message from Uniquely Savvy’s Fan Page:
“Hey, girl. I love the photo of you in your beach wedding dress. And I love the practical advice about color and style for a beach wedding. And while I love that you are real about body image, etc. I can’t help but think that there are many women looking at and reading this (me, for example) who didn’t even notice the extra skin you’re talking about. I’m still not sure what part you’re referring to! But that little part of your post overshadowed the actual style comment and empowering message, which feels like the opposite of what you want to do with your page and your business. For anyone who feels insecure or unattractive, it feels worse to see a beautiful woman nitpick aspects of herself that are unnoticeable to anyone else. If someone who looks like you is still worried about that, what hope do the rest of us have? And I only even bring it up because I know your heart is to help women find the beauty in themselves. Does this make sense? I love reading your posts…I hope you hear my heart in this and can discard it if it doesn’t resonate. Yay, you for losing weight and staying healthy! Yay, you for loving your body! Yay, God for using you to help all of us embrace the beauty He’s put in us!” ~ Private Message from Uniquely Savvy’s Fan Page
My Response to the Private Message Writer:
“Thanks sooo much for this!
(I’m talking about the excess fold of skin by my right armpit :-). )
“But that little part of your post overshadowed the actual style comment and empowering message, which feels like the opposite of what you want to do with your page and your business.”
Re the above, it’s easy for *much* to get overshadowed when it comes to body image, self-acceptance and empowerment. Actually, this was exactly the point I wanted to “call out” and threw style tips in to soften it. I could have done it better:-)….
In being honest, I desired to share my personal journey of mindset. Cultivating a healthy mindset doesn’t just happen – not for me anyway. Thank you for writing in as it now gives me this (clarification) to share. This isn’t about nitpicking.
This is more about desiring to share a bigger #inside-out message and process: challenging limiting beliefs, championing the truth, self-acceptance, hitting RESET, vision, and celebration which leads to a present and empowered self in the end. …It was the journey I wanted to share.
What I aimed to do here was:
*Show that it’s not about size, shape, being nitpicky, or what someone does or does not think/say/feel about us, it’s about our own individual “journey of working out our mindset” with how we feel about ourselves and *any topic*.
*Share that it’s about the “process of pausing” to see #truth and challenging beliefs that hold us back -in body image and beyond.
*Illustrate that in a “real moment” this is what I saw – and I’m not immune. I had initial feelings about excess skin, (right or wrong – real or perceived), yet those feelings were quickly explored/challenged- and I found #aligned truth and celebration for my accomplished weight loss goal and appreciation for what I saw as such!
*Be transparent that while in the end I felt incredible freedom, acceptance and celebration – it was only AFTER I *chose* to *challenge a limiting belief*.
….It’s critical for all of us to challenge our thoughts regardless of topic -to identify what is real, unreal, important or trivial. I believe when we do so, we are more deeply empowered and have a healthier mindset in general.
Recently, yet again, I heard the feedback of “perfect” -as though I have it all together. I am not, and I don’t have it all together in any category. …Moreover, I never want anyone – especially a woman- to think that I don’t have or didn’t have a journey to walk out around body image (and much more) – I had an arduous journey. The beauty is in doing the mindset work because -in any topic- what you believe will dictate how you act and show up in life.
That said, I’m not always best at articulating the layers of my thought process – so thank you for the opportunity to clarify. This is the biggest reason I balk when people keep saying, “You need to write a book”, lol!
In closing, my hope is that the reader would see an invitation to pause and challenge her potential limiting beliefs on body image and definitely beyond….Even in that process, if she was at all comparing herself to me and began wondering what “hope” she has, she might be compelled in that moment to *challenge her beliefs system*, just as I chose to. The greater hope is in developing a sound mindset around truth because when we do that, I believe a lot of the other things -to include body image – begin to naturally take care of themselves. That has been my experience anyway (and I have had a LOT to take care of !).
Again, I hope I’m articulating this better….I should do this piece on video in interview fashion, so it comes across as my heart intends).
Here’s to the journey of cultivating our best authentic and stylish selves- empowered and aligned from the inside-out, XO
THANK YOU so much for this! I will share this anonymously.”
READY to BE CHAMPIONED in YOUR STYLE, BRAND & CONFIDENCE? Call me…
425.503.9885 ~ kim@uniquelysavvy.com
Kim (Crumpler) Peterson is Founder of Uniquely Savvy, Inc and is a Champion of People who have a conscious connection to wanting to BE their best and dress their best to align from the inside-out! Kim works with individuals, teams, and organizations to elevate authentic personal brands and style, inspire confidence, and live more empowered. As a keynote speaker, image consultant, personal style & branding coach, and “Living Your Truth” coach, she works tirelessly, decisively and thoughtfully to bring about goal oriented solutions and results to those she serves. You’re invited to: Join the conversation on Uniquely Savvy’s Facebook business page, call for a free phone consultation, or book Kim to educate & inspire at your next event! Available for keynotes, workshops, seminars, and girlfriend parties, the programs your participants will love range from personal style, professional image and branding, to hope, freedom, faith, and living an incredible life in spite of adversity. Kim co-authored, “Incredible Life: Top Experts Reveal How to Create Yours”. Contact Kim @ 425.503.9885.