Define Beautiful Project

One of my favorite blogs has a project for her subscribers.... to define beautiful.... what does beautiful mean to you?

I submitted a definition to her a week or so ago and she actually posted it today! (I had no idea until my friend Kelly told me that she loved what I wrote haha)

This is what I wrote:

I have been redefining my personal definition of beauty recently. Most of my life I have struggled to overcome my past. I had abusive parents as a child and was later moved between foster homes and different relatives. I worked my way through nursing school...18 hour days, 6 days a week for years. I have always struggled with self image issues...I am not by any means what any magazine cover would claim to be beautiful... but something that has been incredibly freeing for me is discovering that because I am a child of God ...I am deeply loved and am beautiful because I am God's creation....and that by definition is beautiful.

I feel beautiful every time I read the verse "I am wonderfully and fearfully made" Psalm 139:14

I feel beautiful every time I run, even though I hate running and am awful at it. The idea of conquering something I hate is incredibly empowering to me.

I felt beautiful the day I realized that the abuse I received as a child was in fact not my fault.

I feel beautiful every time I take a picture of something ordinary and it comes out extraordinary.

I feel beautiful every time I am out in nature and I see that the same creator who made me, designed this gorgeous planet.

I felt beautiful when I finally realized that no matter what weight I am or how much make up I do or don't wear or whether I am single or married... I am worthy of being loved.

I feel incredibly beautiful when I am surrounded by my best friends and I am overcome by just how loved I am by them. Seriously, words cannot describe how amazing the people in my life are.

I feel beautiful every time I am able to make a difference in my patient's life. Working in the ICU can be very difficult but knowing that I am able to give someone dignity and hope in what could be the worst time of their life is such a blessing to me. It is such a gift to show someone how valuable they are and how much they matter by the care you give them.

I felt beautiful the day I got my RN license in the mail because that day, despite everything that had come against me, I beat the odds.

I am a survivor and to me that is beautiful.

~Andi, On Call RN

You can check out the post here also! Her blog is a wonderful read :)