Skip to content
  • Home
  • About
  • Photography
  • Blog
  • Work together
  • Shop My Favorites
    • Shop House Favorites
    • Shop Life Favorites
    • Shop Baby Favorites
clear

A Loved Life

Home, Health, & Adventure

Uncategorized

you are lovely | myself

23 Comments on you are lovely | myself
,
February 10, 2014February 16, 2017

a while back i mentioned i would be starting a mini-series.
you can read more about the series and what it means/why it was started here. i would love for you to read more and share it. i have yet to see something like this in the blog world and i think more woman need to be reminded of how lovely they are.

each installment will have bloggers sharing at least two self-portraits (more are welcomed).
one of themselves feeling vulnerable.
one of themselves feeling lovely.

i figured i should start.

you are lovely | first installment. 

i remember being told i was lovely as a child.
i remember family and strangers commenting on my beautiful curly hair. 
i remember twirling in tu-tus and dancing through the house.
i felt lovely.
somewhere between adolescence and puberty i forgot my worth. 
instead of knowing i was lovely, i constantly questioned it.
did this shirt make me lovely?
these big hoop earrings?
those seashell toed adidas?
what about that lipgloss…or that bow in my hair?
middle school started the questioning hard.
as i continued to grow up i remember hearing my family tell me how pretty i was.
but the world told me otherwise.
i wasn’t thin enough.
graceful enough.
popular enough. 
somewhere along the way i lost sight of the truth.
i am lovely.
every piece of me.
every flaw of me.
every perfection of me.
the whole package – lovely.
>>>><<<<
share a time where you felt vulnerable or exposed: 
there are many situations that come to mind. some i’m not
courageous enough to share if i’m being honest.

uh…now? ha.
there was a time in college that comes to mind.
my roommate and I joined an organization on campus that desired to share
Christ.
most of the people were fantastic – loving, compassionate, genuinely interested
in others walk with the Lord and in pouring into the lives of others. sounds fantastic
right? well it was for a season. i went on some retreats, was poured into, made some good friendships, and really grew in my relationship with God. then came a new semester and things just started to crumble. i had not been able to go on the summer mission trip with most of the group, so i felt left out, and when we started “recruiting” new people something started clicking. they would go door to door in the dorm rooms and talk with the girls about the group – it was then that i noticed this “image” they were after – and my heart sank. if the girls looked like they belonged in a hollister ad – they really talked the organization up – and really invested in the conversations, if the girls looked a little more “plain jane” or “different” they just said “oh we would love for you to swing by”. i started thinking about how MY first experience went – and how my roommate was truly beautiful (inside and out). i started noticing my insecurities – overweight, acne, red streaks in my hair, punk attitude, a little out there…would they have accepted me with open arms without my roommate? i started to question a lot of things, and expressed some of those concerns with some of my friends – they felt the same, and we left the group. all of my other “friends” in the group stopped talking to me – would hardly ackowledge me if i passed – and stopped investing. now at the time i may have blown it out of proportion but my heart was shattered. just because i didn’t fit the “image” they wanted they shut me out. it was a really hard time emotionally – because i felt like such an outcast. (just on record: the organization is no longer like this – incredible people have really turned around some of those backwards ideals and they are truly reaching people for Jesus – it’s beautiful) i felt like i wasn’t lovely, wasn’t good enough, wasn’t picked first. i felt like MY whole package just didn’t measure up – and it sucked.

why is it hard for us to embrace vulnerability? 
something in our society has embedded us to believe that vulnerability is ugly.
that it is shameful and should never be shown. 
so when someone breaks that mold – that standard – it can be looked down upon. 
its a place where you can’t hide. 
where insecurities can be put on display and you’re being honest with not only yourself but others. 
it’s the line between courage and fear. 
so that is a scary thing – but also a freeing thing. 
how did you feel when taking your “i feel lovely” portrait vs your “i feel vulnerable” portrait? 
i wish i could say, i felt no difference, but that would be a lie. 
with my vulnerable portrait – i felt…naked, exposed, and unable to hide. 
i felt like all of my imperfections were the center of the picture.
i was scrolling through them thinking “man do you see that zit, and that mark, etc” it was very eye opening how much self-deprecating talk my mind plays when looking at picture of myself. 
with my lovely portrait – i felt a little more confident – i felt my smile was bigger – i actually felt like smiling. i felt like i accented my “good” qualities. i felt like i was having a good hair day – i’m sure my curly haired friends can relate! 
…after picking out which pictures to share my heart found peace.
who cares if i’m wearing makeup or not. 
vulnerability is lovely.
being myself – fully myself – is lovely. 
when do you feel most beautiful? 
i heard a quote recently that really resonated with me: 
“people are prettiest when they talk about something they really love with passion in their eyes.” – k.v.h.
so with that in mind – when i’m passionate about something i feel most beautiful. 
when my heard is fully emerged in something, i feel beautiful, lovely, cherished.
>>>><<<<
i hope this helped to shed some of the stigma that vulnerability has no place in our lives.
as women we must embrace and encourage each other.
we all have fears and insecurities.
we all have heart struggles that keep us awake at night.
maybe this series will help you see that you are not alone. 
you are lovely – just the way you are. 

>>>><<<<
please feel free to share:

Taking Steps Home

post signature

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

mini series, myself, self confidence, self esteem, self portrait, series, you are lovely
By:showitadmin

Hi, I'm showitadmin

Post navigation

Previous postBailey | The Call
Next postetsy swap | spring fever

Related Posts

you are lovely | amanda
thoughts | a moment for…
you are lovely | Rach

23 comments on “you are lovely | myself”

  1. Miranda says:
    February 10, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    So excited to see the first post go up! This really is going to be an awesome series!

    I think a lot of people can relate to "losing their sense of loveliness" as time goes on. It seems the older you get, the harder it is to remember.

    You are beautiful, inside and out! Your hair is amazing, and I'm actually a little envious of your freckles. I love freckles!

    I will have my post sent to you by the end of the week…I just have to take my pictures. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Victoria says:
    February 10, 2014 at 4:04 pm

    Love your pictures, Amy!!!

    That quote is perfect. I know just what you mean – I've seen it and felt it myself. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Kaysie says:
    February 10, 2014 at 4:06 pm

    Oh my goodness, so much bravery. I want to do this, but I need time to think about it. I feel like this is such a delicate series and so beautiful and honest. You seriously are so stunning, I can tell you're an awesome person just by looking at you.

    Reply
  4. Aimee says:
    February 10, 2014 at 4:23 pm

    Oh Amy I love this so so much! What an amazing idea! And for the record you looked absolutely beautiful in EVERY photo!! XOXO

    Reply
  5. Emskibeach says:
    February 10, 2014 at 5:50 pm

    I absolutely love this idea – and I definitely agree with that quote about people talking with passion about something you love. I always tried when I went on dates to get a guy to talk about something he was passionate about because I believe that's when your genuine nature shines through and makes you look beautiful in your natural way.
    I have to say that you look lovely make up free as much as in your less vulnerable pics so don't be afraid to be vulnerable it looks lovely on you. x

    Reply
  6. Jenny Fish says:
    February 10, 2014 at 7:43 pm

    This is absolutely wonderful. YOU are beautiful inside and out and this is such a good idea. I can't wait to participate! I just have to find a time to take some pictures.

    Reply
  7. Jenna Griffin says:
    February 10, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    Wow, Amy. This is the most beautiful post I think I've ever read. There is so much beauty in you!

    I really want to participate!

    Reply
  8. Susannah says:
    February 10, 2014 at 11:25 pm

    This is beautiful!!! Your vulnerability is so heartwarming since it's how I feel too!!!

    Reply
  9. Laura says:
    February 11, 2014 at 12:10 am

    If you would have smiled in the first photos they wouldn't have looked any different from the second set. So if you think you look better in the second set it's just an illusion. It's your smile… not your makeup or good hair day… that makes you shine! 🙂

    And what is it about college christian groups!? I had so many insane experiences because of them and actually kind of walked away from God for a while as a result. Blah.

    Keep being beautiful Amy!

    Reply
  10. Britney says:
    February 11, 2014 at 1:18 am

    LOVED this girl! You are truly beautiful inside and out, i love your heart for Jesus.
    I can't wait to do mine 🙂 I will work on it this week, and I will send it to you when i'm done.

    Reply
  11. Chantel Klassen says:
    February 11, 2014 at 2:15 am

    Love this!!! And that KVH quote is so good, I'm definitely going to be writing that one down!

    Reply
  12. Angela says:
    February 11, 2014 at 2:55 am

    Amazing series!! I better get on writing my post!! You are gorgeous, girl… inside and out.

    Reply
  13. Kiki says:
    February 11, 2014 at 4:09 am

    Hi. So you made me tear up, you made me smile, and you made me really think about beauty, my past, and my story. Your hard work into this project is most definitely paying off!

    Anyway, I so found myself nodding to all of your beauty/vulnerability/loveliness talk. There are so many people who don't want people because of their looks and it crushes me. It really does. It's not right and I'm so glad to hear that that campus group has since changed!

    I also need to point out that you, my friend, are stunning. I've always loved your curly hair, but seeing these photos, made me realize you have amazing eyes, too! My goodness, you're pretty! And I am not just saying that, because you really and truly are. 🙂

    I also loooove that quote you included. As an introvert, talking about my passions is what makes me fired up and I know for a fact that being passionate about something–whatever it is–really does bring out the sparks in our lives.

    Speaking of which, I really need to get on my post! I've got the photos taken but have yet to do the writing part. Boy, that post is going to take serious worship music to write along with! 🙂

    Reply
  14. Ech and Will says:
    February 11, 2014 at 2:41 pm

    I got chills reading this post. I love it!

    Reply
  15. Jordan says:
    February 11, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    Beautiful! Love this 🙂

    Reply
  16. Rach @ This Italian Family says:
    February 11, 2014 at 7:20 pm

    Oh, it breaks my heart to hear how you felt during that time in college. I am so glad that things have turned around with that organization, but that doesn't change the hurt of the past.

    By the way, I love your smile. I just do. It's beautiful. 🙂

    Reply
  17. Genna says:
    February 11, 2014 at 7:42 pm

    I'm so in love with this series. I can't wait to read everyone else's!!! You ARE lovely my dear!

    Reply
  18. Kasey Lynne says:
    February 11, 2014 at 7:58 pm

    loved this first post amy.
    and i am so excited and honored to be a part of this wonderful series!

    Reply
  19. Robyn B says:
    February 11, 2014 at 11:01 pm

    yes. yes. yes!! this post was truly amazing! what an exciting series – cannot wait to see other bloggers do this! 🙂

    love that quote too! you have such a beautiful heart!

    Reply
  20. Julia Barger says:
    February 12, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    you are beautiful, amy. inside and out. god created you exactly how he wanted you. isn't that such a comforting thing?

    i'm loving this series already. 🙂 sorry i've taken so long in getting my answers/pictures back to you! life's been a little hectic lately…i'll be sending them asap!

    Reply
  21. Neisha says:
    March 24, 2014 at 6:28 pm

    This is so wonderful! Thank you for choosing to be vulnerable with us. Through this I know that you will free so many women, including myself.

    Reply
  22. Amy Hodgdon says:
    March 25, 2014 at 7:13 am

    Thank you for sharing Amy!
    This is powerful, and totally meets woman where we are at! Thank you!
    And, for real, your hair is gorgeous, but more than that, your spirit is lovely for wanting to share a message like this!

    http://www.lovelydoesit.com

    Reply
  23. The Lady Okie says:
    June 8, 2014 at 2:21 am

    Wow. This is a great series. I look at the vulnerable pictures and think they all look lovely, but I imagine myself taking one, and I know I wouldn't like it. I'd be looking at all my flaws too. What a wonderful idea to highlight the beauty in all of us.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

author

Hello Friends

I'm Amy and I am so blissed out that you are here. To sum up A Loved Life in three words it would simply be: home, health, and adventure. So if you enjoy laughter, hope, adventures, and pursuing life to the fullest - this place is for you. Please feel free to read along as I share all about this crazy thing called life.

Recent Posts

Saying Goodbye 2022

4 comments

Shop Small Business

No comments

Things I said I would “NEVER” do as a mom, yet here I am.

2 comments

Follow on Facebook!

Categories

  • Beach House
  • Blog
  • Children
  • COLLABORATIONS / REVIEWS
  • ETSY
  • FAITH
  • Fiction
  • Friday Finds
  • Halloween
  • HOME
  • Life
  • LIVING WELL
  • Military
  • Monthly Goals
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Recipe
  • RELATIONSHIPS
  • STYLE
  • THOUGHTS
  • TRAVEL
  • Uncategorized
  • WEDDING

Tags

15 day challenge Blog brother california charleston Christian Christianity Christmas collaboration currently decorating DIY etsy Family fiction fitness frankly friday friday God halloween home ireland journey links marriage monthly goals my style my weekend October Photography recipe relationships review scotland scripture singleness thoughts tobi travel vacation Wedding weight weight loss writing you are lovely
Facebook
instagram
pinterest
chloe theme