Beauty Redefine Your Life (or Mirror)

I'm back :)

One morning as I was getting ready for church I was in front of my mirror doing my makeup and my daughter comes in and says, "Ugh, mom!  You are already beautiful without all that stuff!  You don't need to impress anyone!"  This mofem mom was thoroughly rebuked, and it took a minute for me to recycle my thoughts and let her know that even though I know that, it's also okay for us to make a choice to put a little makeup on if we feel like it (as long as our worth isn't attached to our compliments and outward appearance).

So my little 9 yo gets this sassy (empowered) attitude from these beauties I have posted in our bathroom and on our microwave:

 I have been following Beauty Redefined for about a year now.  I'm assuming (and HOPING) if you've been following any of the discourse on modesty and body image you will have already heard of them.  From their website:

We are Lindsay Kite and Lexie Kite, 28-year-old identical twin sisters with PhDs in the study of media and body image from the University of Utah (’13). We have a passion for helping girls and women recognize and reject harmful messages about their bodies and what “beauty” means and looks like. Beauty Redefined represents our not-for-profit work through the Beauty Redefined Foundation (501(c)(3)) to take back beauty for girls and women everywhere through continuing the discussion about body image, women’s potential and media influence through this website, our Facebook page and most prominently through regular speaking engagements in both secular and religious settings, from universities and high schools to professional conferences and church congregations for all ages.

 These two mormon ladies are changing the world, I follow them on twitter and their ideas are catching on in a much wider range than our limited mormon sphere.  One thing they have available for sale on their website (proceeds benefiting their 501(c)3) are these:

 STICKY NOTES!  Last year I bought a pack and haven't used any more than the two sets I have up in my house.  I've thought about driving around to all the church buildings in my stake on Sunday and putting them in the women's bathroom mirrors - but I can't bring myself to do it knowing that the Saturday cleaners are going to trash them and there goes my $20.  But I have found power in displaying them in my home!!  You can buy a pack of all four kinds for $20 (on sale right now for $16!). 

Anyways, they do work, and I encourage you to read more of their work - it would be my highest wish that they gave 'body image' training and developed a video that every leader and teacher in the church had to read and internalize.