Self-Love Reflections: Intrinsic Beauty

Posted: January 30, 2011 at 12:34 pm

How do you define beauty? When you consider someone beautiful does the sole focus lie in her outward appearance? When you look at yourself in the mirror, can you look past that barrier of our body called the skin and see beauty? The top definition for beauty in the Miriam-Webster dictionary: the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit. Interesting. I see nothing about a small waist, a butt that looks good in skinny jeans, luscious hair, or full lips in that definition. Perhaps because beauty does not reside in those things?

No. Beauty gives “pleasure to the senses” or “exalts the mind or spirit”. For example, I find a compassionate quality in a person more pleasurable than white teeth. Although those white teeth will show as beautiful through a tender smile caused by the compassion. In essence, the compassion still reigns as the beauty. I also view strength as beautiful. Someone finishing a race may have beautiful, strong legs but the determination to achieve and care for her body makes them beautiful. Not the muscles.

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No physical manifestation of those inner qualities of beauty need to exist. We simply need to adapt this paradigm shift of defining beauty by the inside versus the outside. Intrinsic beauty fits the true definition of beauty and flatters more than a miracle bra. When we tap into our intrinsic beauty and allow it to showcase who we are, nothing will succeed at diminishing our sparkle. Intrinsic beauty shines through. See your body as a reflection of your inner qualities. There is power…and beauty…in that.

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Take a few moments to think how you showcase intrinsic beauty. What positive qualities describe you. Search deep. How do they showcase in your life and make you beautiful?

My answer: I know I am truly beautiful because I love deeply. That love may show up in my arms…from carrying my children, serving others, and helping my husband with some of his beloved house/car projects…but the beauty is still the love behind those actions. My beauty is also in my faith. It helps me live my life with peace and positivity. No physical reflection of that needed.

Quote to Reflect On
Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts. ~Martin Buxbaum

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23 Comments to “Self-Love Reflections: Intrinsic Beauty”
  1. That quote to reflect on is truly amazing. And so are you Tina! You are SUCH a breath of fresh air, and so completely and utterly inspirational! I love your blog so much- your posts always make me feel amazing 🙂

  2. Stephanie says:

    Your blog is just daily inspiration and motivation for me! I left feeling sexy yesterday and beautiful today. lol. 🙂

  3. Tina says:

    What a beautiful and thoughtful post! This “shift” you describe is so important. It’s our perceptions and our mind-sets that need to change, not our bodies or outside situations. Once we start viewing ourselves and the world from a place of love, with loving thoughts, life becomes much more peaceful and we become happier!

  4. G says:

    “Someone finishing a race may have beautiful, strong legs but the determination to achieve and care for her body makes them beautiful. Not the muscles.”
    This stood out for me. Determination, focus and drive are definitely things that I believe make a person beautiful. Being able to “witness” somebody’s values through the work and activities they accomplish is worth so much more than simply the way they look.
    Wonderful wonderful post, thank you!

  5. Great post! I like this idea that your body will show what’s in your heart. Like how some wrinkles come from smiling, they are beautiful because they were created out of joy.

    • Tina says:

      It was so weird how that idea came to me out of nowhere when I sat down to write this post back in Sep with the series. It hasnt left me since.

  6. Love this post, Tina! I have to remind myself daily that I am beautiful and don’t need to lose weight to feel good about myself. I really do believe it, I just need to reinforce the message 🙂

  7. emily says:

    This is such a wonderful and beautiful post! I felt love when I read this post! You are such a blessing!

  8. lindsay says:

    great post. And I agree, you love deeply and it shows. I hope that I reflect a genuine heart and compassion.
    🙂

  9. Ohhhh great post, Tina! I think beauty is all on the inside… it’s the windowframe in which you yourself view life from. As long as you are looking through clear and sound glass, life will be beautiful to you, and those in your life will see *you* as beautiful,

  10. I think that is a great definition from the dictionary.

    I got an awesome new haircut yesterday that is much shorter and different for me. I feel so beautiful and when I was skyping with my boyfriend last night, I realized it was because I feel so confident, not just the haircut…the confidence comes from things I have been doing to cultivate confidence in other areas of my life recently, and from how I felt bold to just GO for this haircut because it was what I wanted, I didn’t worry about what other people would think at all and that confidence on the inside is what is making me feel beautiful. I love your self-reflection posts!

  11. Lauren says:

    Wonderful post! These reflections always make me reflect, which I love. My patience is what is beautiful to me, and along with that, I’m also a great listener.

  12. Jess says:

    GREAT post (as usual!). I am trying very hard to focus on inner beauty vs. outer beauty and am with you that it’s those inward qualities that manifest themselves in our actions as a friend, a wife, a lover, a mother that makes us gorgeous. It’s so easy to get caught up in what’s in the mirror but if we each just took a minute to look in the mirror at what’s going on inside, we’d all feel just a wee bit more beautiful I think.

  13. Brenda Whittemore says:

    I just can’t even express how much I enjoy your blog, you inspire me constantly.

    Thank You for using your obvious gift to speak the things you do. I’m so glad I just “happened” to find your blog!!!

    • Tina says:

      Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for this comment. I just do what I love and feel called to do. That you call it a gift is so nice. I love to share and always get inspired by others as well to keep on sharing. Thanks!

  14. I give freely of myself and am an optimist at heart… almost to a fault sometimes, but I wouldn’t change those aspects of me for anything because they do indeed make me beautiful!

  15. LauraJayne says:

    I adore this post! You totally made my day so much better! It we could learn, as a teenager and pre-teenager, why we are beautiful instead of why we aren’t, I think so many problems and inner-negativity that we all face could be eliminated!

  16. Heather says:

    Forgive me, I’m trying to get caught up on my blog reading so I know I’m a bit late to the game on this one, but I absolutely LOVE this post, Tina! I can’t get over that definition! I find it relatively easy to see/”feel” intrinsic beauty in others, but not so much in myself.

    Since the beginning of the year, I’ve tried to get better about being negative and complaining about things because that is not what I want others to think of when they think of me. I really hope that I am portraying a light spirit full of compassion.

    • Tina says:

      No apologies necessary! I’m glad you were still able to go back and get something from it. That’s what matters. I think the changes you are making are great. 🙂

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