#alreadybeautiful

You are #alreadybeautiful.

Yes, you are. Don’t argue. All those nagging ideas in your head that rise in protest, telling you you’re less than perfect, too fat here, too skinny there, not pretty enough, smart enough, fun enough or good enough…

Those ideas are lies.

I used to want to look beautiful. I placed looking beautiful as one of my highest priorities. And then I discovered that there would always be someone prettier. Smarter. More fun. Better.

What I’ve learned about beauty:

Real, lasting beauty isn’t found in Harper’s Bazaar, Showtime original dramas or on Facebook. Don’t get me wrong. I like to see pretty and be pretty as much as the next girl. However, looking beautiful and being beautiful are two totally different things. And the former is exponentially easier than the latter.

We lie to ourselves all the time about what is really important.

And I’ve come to learn that BEING beautiful is way more important than LOOKING beautiful. I’ve also learned that EVERYONE is beautiful. We all have our gifts and our challenges, both physical and spiritual. Once I became open to that idea, it was so much easier to see the gorgeousness of myself and of others. It’s no longer a matter of being the best, but being a vibrant part of the magnificent mosaic that is life.

The most beautiful thing I have ever seen is a woman who knows who she is and is unabashedly, unapologetically, being exactly that, no more, no less. I strive to be that woman. I surround myself with women who love to be who they are and who constantly walk their own paths.

The beauty I see in these mentors of mine manifests itself in kindness, love, generosity, gentleness, passion, peace, humor, honesty, encouragement, non-judgment, intelligence, resourcefulness, depth, creativity, spirituality, respect, exuberance, loyalty, joy…this list could go on forever.

And here’s the real stunner: ALL of the beauty I’ve found in myself and others was ALREADY there!! It didn’t need to be painted on or faked. It just needed to be noticed, admired, cultivated, honored. And once that beauty was exposed, it bloomed! It flourished and blossomed into something so spectacular that it could not be contained.

This is the kernel from which Captibel was born. Seeing the unbelievable awesomeness of the shells readily available on the beaches and how I could bring out that beauty by incorporating them into my designs is the driving force behind my brand.

And then it swiftly turned into a metaphor for my belief system and my entire life:

  1. There is beauty everywhere.
  2. Find it and define it.
  3. Elevate it and celebrate it.

With that said, please allow me to tell you that, without exception, you are one-of-a-kind, exquisitely unique. You have gifts to give the world just as you are.

I am #alreadybeautiful and so are you.