In my first year of high school math, I learned that:

. . . “a straight line is the shortest distance between two points.”

It was the most memorable math fact I learned that year.

Why? Because of its pure simplicity.

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In my years of life, I’ve learned that:

. . . “walking in truth and courage is the shortest path to beauty.”

It’s the most powerful thing I’ve learned in my adult years.

Why? Because of its pure simplicity.

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At the age of 14, part of the reason why I marveled at the definition of a straight line is that I couldn’t think of another way to describe it that didn’t also use the word “line” within its own definition: “a straight line is a dark, straight line . . . “ or “you get a line by drawing a line from a to b”.

Likewise, to talk about the achievement of beauty without actually referring to physical attractiveness, is outside the realm of the messages we’re hammered on a daily basis.

Instead . . . we are fed this on a daily basis through magazines, social media, TV ads:

• to be attractive, your eyes need to lure the on-viewer in

• to be kissable, your mouth must be pouty and red

• to be desirable, you must have a “bubble” butt

• to be beautiful, you must be something other than what and who you are

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And I DISAGREE.

Of the many ways to enhance beauty . . . tactics that tear you down, make you feel less-than, and leave you feeling empty . . . are NOT among them.

INSTEAD, you need to . . .

1. fill your life with more:

   • more love

   • more healthy food

   • more laughter

   • more strength

   • more community

2. start to peel back the layers of self-protective untruths you are telling yourself:

   • no, I’m not actually happy being overweight

   • no, I don’t like it when people I love, make “joking” comments about my lack of self-control

   • no, I don’t want to succumb to the same fate as my mother . . . fading into the background as her husband found love elsewhere

   • yes, I’m worth fighting for

   • yes, I want true love and affection in my life

   • yes, I’m tired of hiding from myself and others

3. create a life of courage where you:

   • do something uncomfortable every day that gets you outside your comfort zone

   • start to address the little and big hurts that keep you in a cage

   • find ways to let your light shine

   • look at yourself in the mirror each day and say “I AM BEAUTIFUL”

   • dare to “not know” what anyone thinks of you (iow stop thinking you can mind-read)

   • allow yourself to feel beautiful

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If you’re going to look only to material beauty as the source of yours, your beauty will always be limited.

Grounded in TRUTH and COURAGE, however, you are now linked to something much greater than yourself.

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Lasting, vibrant, soul-quenching beauty is already in you.

And the sooner you realize that, the sooner you’ll manifest it on the outside.

Embrace truth daily
Act in courage always

Then draw a straight line to — feeling — looking — being —

— beautiful —