3.23.2010

Our Deepest Fear


{headed out & the gang with our teacher Michael}
Surfing was simply remarkable. It took a lot more work and a lot more patience than I had expected.  I didn’t realize you had to wait so long for a good wave.  I didn’t know I’d be paddling nearly the whole time, either to catch a wave or to get back out there to find another.  I didn’t know the next day I’d be so sore I could hardly dress myself (I am embarrassed to say).  It was completely and utterly worth it.  I loved the experience and vow to do it again before we leave Peru.  Thanks Aaron for the advice of getting a long board and paddling hard.  It helped so much. 
{trying to get up & waiting waiting waiting}
While we were making our way down to the beach for the second time some photographers stopped us.  We were asked to have our picture taken for a Peruvian magazine, "Peru Deportes" (meaning Peru Sports)!  We posed in our wet suits with our boards by our sides.  Little did they know this was the first time we’d ever surfed.  The photographer took me aside and took pictures of just me and kept telling me I was beautiful!  It made me feel good.  I have put on five or ten pounds while here (I blame the mountains of white rice).  But the culture in Peru loves women who are curvier and have more meat on their bones.  I have been feeling down about my weight so this really lifted my spirits.  It made me think about how culture and the media filtrate into our minds and skew our view of beauty and individual worth. You know what, I am beautiful.
{hands up stands up & one handed cart wheels}

I do not tell you this story to gloat.  I tell you it to let you know it’s okay to feel good about yourself!  It’s good to think you are beautiful and to know your self-worth.  I do not think it is prideful to love yourself and to know your strengths.  It’s good that I know I am a beautiful person, as long as I remember others are beautiful too.  It is when you compare yourselves to others that this notion becomes tainted with darkness.  You don’t have to compare yourself to others to see your worth and your beauty.  That’s where pride comes in; when you think you are better than another. It doesn’t hinder your beauty if others are beautiful, talented, or extraordinary.  Let me share a quote to emphasize my point.  This is one of my favorites:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
       by Marianne Williamson
from A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles
You are beautiful.  It shouldn’t take a random Peruvian photographer to remind you of that (silly me).


What is something you love about yourself?

26 comments:

Clare said...

thanks, i really needed that! a very inspiring post.

Claire said...

Great photo, looks like you had a fab time adn you all look the part, not surprised they wanted to photograph you!
:)

Jodi Kendall said...

what a lovely post. so glad you enjoyed your day surfing - i've never been before.

Blair McLeod said...

looks like a great day!

btw- i'm loving your music playlist. too fun. i hadn't heard of a couple of the peeps, but i'm for sure gonna look into them.

& music mondays?! yes please. hubs discovered it just a few weeks ago and we never miss.

have a great day!

Rachel said...

the pictures are fabulous! and I've loved the quote for so long, its wonderful :)

xo

Unknown said...

wow i'd love to be brave enough to try surfing!

Missy
For everything about fashion:
http://thefashionfusion.blogspot.com

VM Creation Atelier said...

Thank you SO much,my dear friend for these phenomenal post!-)*

Beautiful wise words and I LOVE totally you post,Rachael...
Surfing is amzing thing I think because it makes you playful,free and just to show you that you are beautiful!!!

Much love and wonderful spring days,

***Violetta***

benson said...

".. the culture in Peru loves women who are curvier and have more meat on their bones." :) Next vacation spot= Peru
I love my smile--I'm in invisalign now only because I'm a freak for perfectly straight teeth-- but I like the idea that when I flash a smile it can bring happiness to others as well.
ps. thanks for the award!!

jozen said...

lovely post.

thanks so much for sharing :)

jackiek said...

love this post :)
and the pictures are great! i love surfing... it's so much fun... and yes, a killer workout!
xoxo

OneCraftyFox said...

I love this post, it is just lovely for so many reasons. I would love to try surfing one day, you go girl!! That's awesome that you had a day where you felt super special, every girl should have a day like that :)

I can't think of anything I really love about myself, maybe I need to go to Peru, lol!

Jennifer Juniper said...

I love this message and I even blogged this a few weeks ago. It's so important to feel good about ourselves! I love my smile, thanks for reminding me!

Punctuation Mark said...

love this post! love the surf photos... always wanted to learn!

Gorgeous Glam said...

I've surfed in Hawaii and it's HARD! And yes you are beautiful doll! xoxo

S said...

such an inspiring post.. thank you for sharing!

Anonymous said...

what an encouraging post! you are beautiful. :)

Anonymous said...

thankyou so much! your blog is so inspiring, i love it. x

The Constant Complainer said...

Most excellent post. Surfing looks so hard, but I'd love to try it sometime. Although I'd probably be the like the guy in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

I love how I can find something daily to laugh at. I truly believe that laughter helps keep one healthier!

Jolyn Lloyd Matthews said...

Beautiful you, beautiful post, beautiful quote! Just what I needed to hear today. Isn't surfing AMAZING! The ocean is the place I feel most at peace with everything. Ironic though that it is such a dangerous place and you need to be on your game to not sucked under or out.

trishie said...

Great post! Looks like you had a really fun time.

Elizabeth said...

So glad I found your blog... The Marianne Williamson quote is one of my favorites! Great post :)

A. Drzayich said...

I clicked to read the comments, interested in hearing what others loved about themselves...and only a handful of people actually came up with anything!

You are so right--let's nuke the taboo! Let's love ourselves a little more, be more comfortable in our own skin, accept compliments more graciously. It's impossible to love others fully until we love ourselves to the fullest.

So sing it, sister!


I love my individual sense of style.

emmakarolina said...

Great post!

I'm glad you enjoyed your surfing experience in Peru! I have a friend who lives for surfing and says it can be a very liberating experience. I'd be too scared to do something like that :-)

I love the fact that I enjoy being a housewife and a stay-at-home mommy by choice :-)

misslikey said...

awww I want to go surfing now...awesome photos.
very inspirational write-up. I very agree to that. Every person is unique and genius in some way

jacquelinemay said...

gorgeous post! amazing pictures, i love the polaroid effect so stunning. what an absolutely stunning blog to stumble upon! very lovely. x



http://jacqueline-may.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

such an inspiring post, lovely!

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