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Know Thyself
I started this drawing with the idea that the grey woman would represent the person who did not know herself and this didn’t see herself as beautiful. But as soon as I started to draw the colorful woman I realized the mistake. BOTH women can know themselves and BOTH women can see their own beauty.
Bad Beauty, Bad.
I had a discussion last week with a photographer friend who posted a photo of herself relaxing in a hot tub after a very hard, emotional couple of days. It represented for her feeling relief and joy at making it through a bad time. She took it down because she was self-conscious, then she put it up again because she didn’t want to give in to her fear of what others would think. I told her I was happy she put it back up because it said she was confident and strong in her beauty and happiness. She asked, “But isn’t that wrong? I would never think I am better than anyone.”
It seemed to me she was equating her believing she was beautiful (looking good, in other words) with vanity, ego and superiority over others. My thought was that while being vain and egotistical about it is wrong, knowing you are beautiful does not necessarily mean you are vain or egotistical.
Good Beauty, Good
It isn’t you comparing yourself, it’s you enjoying who you are. It’s about joy and fun, not about judgment and comparing. It’s about allowing that you have a right to express all of you, that includes your beauty, sensuality, femininity, as well as your moods, mind, love, feelings, ideas, etc.
I don’t think recognizing and enjoying one’s own beauty is bad. What do you think?
Drawing and commentary ©2015 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
Quote by Coco Chanel, 1883-1971, French fashion designer
This definitely resonated with me. I also shared it with my 19yr old daughter who I knew could connect with it also. she and I discuss this very topic. About being yourself and all the inner dialogue that comes with that sometimes.
Holly, the inner dialog can be relentless about this, can’t it. But the best thing about it is that you can use that inner dialog to back yourself up when you make bold decisions to be a courageous individual, just like my friend did by posting her photo, in spite of worries about comments and snide remarks.