As a follow on from my previous blog post ‘The Pineapple…’ I thought I
should share my thoughts on the destructive nature of beauty comparison through
the illustration of three birds.
~
The Swan, Peacock and Flamingo are three very different yet
beautiful birds.
The individual uniqueness of their physical appearance sets
them apart and without competing with each other, they continue to display
their own distinct splendour.
The swan is graceful in the way she conveys herself and
serene in character.
The peacock, magnificent with her intricate detail of
pretty vibrant feathers and secure in knowing who she is and what she carries.
The Flamingo, who not only embodies elegance and femininity, is also balanced
in her stand and well poised.
Earlier this year marked 5 years from when I uploaded my very first video 'Let the journey begin', onto YouTube. So for me, that marked the start of my confidence building and living journey and me truly embracing my purpose in life. Please watch the video below to see what I have learnt and what I am most grateful for.
"Be a pineapple.
Stand tall, wear a crown and be sweet on the inside".
A few years back, I came across the above statement and immediately
embraced it as a statement that with a few tweaks I could adopt as one of my
personal mantras.
Here’s my version:
“Like a
pineapple. Stand tall, wear a crown, have
tough skin but be sweet and soft on the inside”.
This symbolism of the pineapple represents a big part of
what confident living means to me and below is a breakdown of each section,
which I hope inspires you as much as it does me.
Stand Tall:
For someone who measures a mere but mighty 5”2 (.5 to be precise 😀),
tall is not a word you would use to describe me. But you see, it’s not about
what you and I see on the outside, but how I feel about myself on the inside
that will eventually project outwards.
I was so used to hiding, being in the shadows and not wanting to
be seen, that it eventually affected how I carried myself and interacted with
people.
However, like many other things, I have been actively changing my
past fear driven behaviour by pushing boundaries, standing up for myself, saying
‘no’ when I want to say no and not ‘yes’ just to please, making eye contact,
trying to start and hold a conversation past one liners and doing things
outside of my comfort zone, that although may be uncomfortable; will ultimately
cause me to grow.
All of these courageous acts have come about by knowing who I am in
Christ and standing ‘firm’ in my faith and belief, that through Him all
things are possible.
Wear a Crown:
I am royalty. No further explanation needed. I will no
longer apologise for who I was created to be and the life I have been called to
live, regardless of how many feathers I ruffle.
Without being pompous, I will remain confident in my own
skin and my beauty.
So allow me to take a few seconds to straighten my crown and
walk with my ‘Head Held High’.
Have tough skin:
Not only does this bare resemblance to the skin of a
pineapple, but it also resonates so much with where I am coming from.
Tough skin has enabled me to weather the storms of life and continue
to do so. It will also prevent me from taking to heart negative criticism,
people’s rejection, misunderstandings or just plain hate.
There is too much at stake for me to continue to fester on
the piercing arrows of peoples wounding words, as I’ve spent years trying to
heal from the past.
In addition, just like the skin of a pineapple, you may look
at my outward appearance and not think much of me or what I may have to offer;
but I know how good, what lies within.
Sweet and soft on the inside:
Loving, kind and generous are all words I want to be
described as. These attributes will continue to make me sweet on the inside,
pleasing to my Heavenly Father and a delight to those around me.
I want to give so much of myself to helping and loving
others that my actions alone exuberate love.
So I’m lovin’ my way to confidently living my life and
knowing that although I may not be where I want to be, I am no longer where I
used to be. I am a better, more confident person who is taking things one step
at a time.
N.B: I am not
in any way advocating that you develop a ‘self’- centred’ attitude but if like
me, you have spent many years living life without much confidence, then I’m
sure you will understand and appreciate my reasons for writing this post.
I think that to be able
to possess these qualities, yet remain humble and still have a ‘servant’s heart’,
is something I not only desire but also strive towards.
That’s why the below
scripture always stays at my forefront to help keep me in check:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility value others above yourself, not looking only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others. In your relationships with one
another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” – Phil 2: 3-5
I encourage you to watch the below video of ‘How to become/gain
confidence’ as a follow on from this blog post and where I share vital tips that
I have learnt on this journey so far.
As usual I would love to hear your thoughts on this so
please feel free to comment below.
Until next time, remember “It’s one step at a time to
becoming confident”.
Love you guys,
Antoinette
PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK BELOW TO WATCH THE ACCOMPANYING VLOG
Scriptures for Gaining Confidence &
Living Confidently
(Words of Affirmation)
Below are a list of 12 scriptures I use to affirm myself
in the word of God. I've found this to be very effective, because His words
are alive and active. So as you meditate on them and speak them out, they'll
actively be working in and through you; helping you live life more confidently.
