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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

I am Brave and Beautiful


Today I'm "un-doing". 
I'm presenting a naked smile. 


I am Brave and Beautiful is a beauty movement that is sweeping the globe. Colbie Caillat started it with her recent song and video called TRY. My blogging friends wanted to push this movement along and invited women from all over to share what they looked like without make up and I joined in. Colbie’s song says, “Take your make up off. Let your hair down… Look into the mirror at yourself, Do you like you? Cause I like you… “
Megan and her friend Cobi are behind this project. Their vision included creating their own video inspired by the song TRY. The talent of Robbins Creative made it possible for them to pull it off. You have to click play and see the beauty and bravery displayed and you might even recognize a few faces in there.
I’ve joined in with 101+ other blogging women from different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, ages, shapes and sizes and we've all decided to be Brave and Beautiful! You can join in this movement, too, by sharing what you look like without makeup on. you don't need to be a blogger. Just tag your photo with #IamBraveAndBeautiful on Instagram and search the hashtag to see who else has joined in. ALSO, if you tag it with a second hashtag, #ColbieTRY, we just might be able to get Colbie Caillat’s attention since she was the inspiration behind it all!
Are you brave and beautiful?
I'm not. 
I've been criticized.  I've been told that I'm ugly. My ideas are a waste of time. I'm stupid. I'm just a "hick country girl".  Being that I'm not good enough, pretty enough, young enough and smart enough. And at 54 years old, I'm just old.   Throughout many years, I've spent a lot of time trying to evaluate who I am and why and it shouldn't be based on others' criticism. 

If my appearance can't be socially accepted like this:  



Then it will never be accepted like this: 


And I don't mind. 
I've always accepted the fact that no one could like me for who I am. Now that I've fully matured, I don't even care what others think.  The painful words and actions don't hurt anymore.  I really AM different. Who should give a knick knack patty whack? Me. I need to please myself and realize the beauty around me.  I know who I am and what I love. I’m not perfect and never will be. I put my heart and soul into who and what I love. I just strive to do the best I can. That's enough for me. It seems to be enough for those who love me back. 

I'm brave. I'm tough. I'm a creator. I'm a wife, mother, daughter, sister and conqueror of my self inflicted battles. My appearance is not beautiful, but I know my heart is because it loves so hard it hurts. That is power. That is bravery.  That is my beauty.
share your natrual beauty - brassyapple.com
Good morning, face! Let's get out there and have another kick ass beautiful day! 

Don't stop here. Get clicking around – its a blog hop! Below are more brave and beautiful women bearing more than their natural beauty. They all have a little bit of their heart to share with you. Some get very personal. Some share stories. For some this was very hard to do yet they gathered their courage and did it anyway. We hope as you click around (and YES pin these different posts!) you will feel the importance of it, the empowering effect it has and that it encourages you in some way.
women sharing their natural beauty - no makeup
women with our makeup on and what makes them beautiful
women from around the world share their face with no makeup on - BrassyApple.com
Mommy bloggers share their face without makeup and what makes then beautiful
Natural beauty untouched photos
raw natural beauty - join the movement
beauty and bravery - women wearing no makeup - Brassyapple.com
#colbietry #iambraveandbeautiful
Ready in join in?Snap, hashtag and share! Tag @BrassyApple and @Peacefrom6Pieces if you can too!
Also follow our Bravery and Beauty PINTEREST board for more inspiration!








16 comments:

  1. Very powerful! glad you shared and I think you are beautiful - mind, body and heart! I actually haven't worn makeup since my early 20's. Hubby says I am prettier without it and who else do I need to please? If you don't like the way I look, close your eyes or turn away! has always been my motto. :) Hugs!!

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  2. While there is nothing wrong with wearing makeup, I love that this movement tells that we don't need it to be confident or pretty.
    I believe we are all made in the image of God, and that we all have our own beauty.

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  3. Joined in and tagged! :] I very rarely wear makeup because I much prefer getting more sleep vs. getting up early to get ready. It's fun to play around with it every now and then, but I am all for being confident and feeling pretty [awesome] in your own skin! :]

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  4. I'm with Farrah. I have joined in! I have personally been feeling pressure to do more. I have naturally long lashes, but compared to all of the fake lashes people wear, they don't really look like anything. I only feel a tinge of something when my children are complimented on their lashes... and all I can think is they are MY lashes. Since I don't wear makeup, I often feel myself pressured to want to in order to "enhance" my own features, but only to match what others have. Then it feels like an endless cycle.

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  5. Amen, Julie. I can go days without it and be comfortable with myself at home. In the public view; I'll use a little of it or for special occasions a lot more. If God wanted me to be born with ruby lips and painted eyelids, I would have been born that way. But I wasn't.

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  6. I'm so glad you joined, Farrah! Stay confident... keep smiling!

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  7. Yay! Thrilled you joined, April! I believe women that DON'T wear makeup are the most comfortable women in the world. Their souls surface through their skin and personalities. You are so lucky to be one. Keep smiling and being beautiful!

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  8. You don't need it Kristina. You are beautiful the way you are. Some women can get away with never wearing a stitch and be so amazingly attractive. I think because of the way we see ourselves in our minds it pours through our skin and it makes us unattractive. Like me. When you are picked on and laughed at throughout childhood and later years by other females, it develops a deep sense of doubt and ugliness. If you think you aren't beautiful it shows. You are a fortunate woman to have your natural beauty show through everything you do and say. You are beautiful inside and out. It's in your personality. Keep smiling because it's a gorgeous smile!

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  9. What a lovely movement! I added a tag to photo of mine. I rarely wear makeup anymore because I am lazy and a little confident ;)

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  10. Thank you for joining in, Mary! You go, girl!

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  11. 'I am not beautiful like you. I am beautiful like me'! Lovely words!
    And I have to say... you ARE beautiful. With or without makeup and irrespective of your age. You look amazing.

    I am a co-host for Wake-Up Wednesday Linky Party and would like to thank you for partying with us.

    -Tanya
    http://tanyaanurag.blogspot.com/

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  12. Thank you for taking the time for the visit, and for such kind words of confidence, Tanya. It means so much to me.

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  13. What a beautiful post and a fantastic initiative! I love how many women are joining in this with you - awesome! Thanks for coming by and linking up at the #HomeMatters linky party! We hope to see you again this coming Wednesday!

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  14. I love this!!! I wanted to let you know I will be featuring it on this weeks Tuesday with a Twist link party on my blog, come by and say hello. Thanks again and have a great week. :-)

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  15. Thanks, Kristen! It's a great movement. A reward for real women worldwide. :)

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  16. On behalf of all women of this movement, thank you! It's awesome that you are helping to spread the word.

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