Yesterday morning I heard the chuckle of the kookaburras and the playful steps of my little niece on our timber floor. It was Saturday morning and I had begun my day with a warm shower. I prepared myself for the day by making a delicious salmon breakfast, gently doing my hair and sitting at my duchess, applying loving attention along with my make-up. I enjoyed ironing my beautiful red dress to wear for the day. I felt lovely and my day felt in rhythm.
I had an event to go to but time didn’t seem to be a factor and I felt like I was moving with ease around my house, around my family and every task or thing I needed to do was simply flowing from one thing to the next…
Fully dressed and ready to leave the house I walked out of my bedroom and my niece’s eyes lit up, ‘Wow!’ she said, without further explanation her whole body expressed to me that I felt Beautiful. Which was so true! I smiled and I flowed my dress around like I was her age again.
My brother noted that I had taken my time and prepared myself differently, even that my hair was different – which was fun because I have done that hair-style before, but as many times when I do my hair I felt it to be new. However it was his comment that I was going to an International Men’s Day event that stopped me in my tracks.
Straight away my body contracted a little and I felt defensive, did he think I had only dressed myself today to be seen by men? And then I realised; I had definitely done this many times before.
How many times have we dressed ourselves in anticipation of what others may think of us or for them to accept us?
But as I shared with him, this day I did feel different. I hadn’t thought about getting attention, being liked by others or fitting in and I hadn’t thought about what other women may be wearing either (a comparison that has definitely been a part of my wardrobe choices before too!).
I had dressed myself for me, and I felt amazing.
My family had felt this and a day later I am still appreciating this simple experience. Every choice I made to nurture my own body felt wonderful and as each moment flowed to the next I felt like I was in my own rhythm. I had a beautiful man in my kitchen expressing in his own way that he had noticed me for simply being me.
When I attended the event to catch up with and meet other men (and women), I had already given myself the permission to just be me. It didn’t matter what others may or may not have thought about me because I had already accepted the beautiful woman I am.
By Cherise Holt, 30, nurse, Australia
Other related articles you may like:
Nurturing Moments, True Self-Care
Celebrate, the Woman Within
Beautiful Woman Looking Back at Me