How I See It

How do you see yourself?  Maybe you're like me, where it depends from day to day what I see in the mirror. 

At times, I see the face of a woman who's about to celebrate a pretty big milestone birthday that can mark "middle age."  You know that magic number -- the one that labels me as Cougar if I were to start chasing men half my age.  When I'm "feeling" my actual age, that's when I see a middle-aged woman staring back at me.  But that's not too often.

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Like the majority of folks out there, I struggle with loving that reflection in the mirror.  I struggle with seeing all her true womanly beauty.  And I've come to understand that it isn't because the face in the mirror is different looking from day-to-day -- it's all dependent on how I feel.  In other words, perception is everything!!

In 2013, when I was struggling with some radical life changes, I was truly hating the way that woman in the mirror looked to me.  But a dear friend of mine, a talented and uber gorgeous wise soul by the name of Danielle, helped to change that.  And she started the process in a surprisingly simple way.  She photographed me.  Using her artist's eye, she showed me what I was struggling to see for myself.

Danielle is the original brains behind a brilliant movement called Discovering Your Goddess.  DYG's Mission Statement is as follows:  "Through transformational photography sessions and empowering workshops, it is our mission to help you rediscover, celebrate and reconnect with one of your most precious aspects...your beauty."

Thanks to Danielle, along with some serious beneath-the-surface work, I've come to see myself (on most days) in an entirely different way.  Granted, I'm still a work in progress.  We all are.  But I'm liking what I see more and more each day.  And it's a wonderful liberating feeling to actually like what you see and how you feel about yourself. 

Here's a little more about DYG.  "Reconnecting with your beauty through photography can be profoundly life altering and rejuvenating.  To shift your vision to see the stunning goddess within is an extremely powerful gesture of self love that can quickly shift your entire experience of life in a very positive way."

Now let me say, this was a difficult process for me.  Extremely difficult!  I greatly dislike having my picture taken.  My critical eye would always pick things apart until I saw nothing but a grossly deformed mutated self.  Yes, most people don't like the way they look in photos (and there's a bit of a scientific reason for that).  But my problem was that I was feeling substandard about myself, and therefore, that's all I could see.  And it took me a long time to realize that.

"...the true gift this process brings is the realignment of your perception of your beauty."  Bingo!  There's that word again - PERCEPTION.  My perception was waaaayyy off!  Had been for quite some time.  There was nothing wrong about the physical.  It was all in the way I was interpreting it.  And that was due to the way I felt about myself inside.  If you feel flawed, then you will see flaws.

Obviously I was in dire need of some serious work on my psyche if I was to see something different.  And thankfully, Danielle, who was a dear friend of mine before the genius of DYG came about, could see that.  She encouraged me to peel back the layers in order to be able to truly see myself in a more healthy and much more accurate way.

Thankfully DYG came into fruition and is here to aid others in a similar way.  Not only through photography, but through workshops as well!  "Our workshops are designed for women who are looking for an improved, deeper everyday experience of life extending to personal relationships, professional success and their relationships with their bodies.  From helping you address anything that might be preventing the experience of consistent happiness and forward motion in your life, to empowering you to confidently make lasting changes..."

For anyone that lives in the Reading, Pennsylvania area, DYG is having a Holiday Party and Photography Exhibit on Saturday, December 20th, starting at 6:00pm.  Come check out their gorgeous space located in Studio 328 of the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, located at 201 Washington Street, Reading.  If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about DYG, please check them out at www.discoveringyourgoddess.com, or contact Danielle directly at danielle@discoveringyourgoddess.com. 

Do yourself a favor this holiday season.  Give yourself a gift this year.  LOVE YOURSELF.  If you find you can't love yourself as you are, they ask yourself Why?.  Take a deeper look.  Adjust your perception.  And if you can't do it for yourself, then reach out and ask for help.  It's worth the effort!  You're worth the effort!!!  The gift of love is one of the greatest gifts you can give.  Start by giving it to yourself.