Guest Contributor: Shari Solis
As I started thinking about what I wanted to write this week, I
started to think about the upcoming holiday. Easter is sort of a sign that spring
has arrived. For me, spring has always been full of new beginnings. Flowers are
blooming. Butterflies appear. The sound of birds singing and bees buzzing
begins to fill the air. And while I think of Easter, I cannot ignore the aspect
of the faith I was raised in and its ties to Easter. This holiday, in
Christianity, centers around the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
Growing up in the Baptist church, the thing that resonated with me personally
was the statement that Christ died on the cross to wipe the slate clean for all
of us. How amazing is that?! Each of us has sins and flaws that are all just
suddenly wiped clean.
This is is a great concept in the
realm of religion, but it is easier said than done in our every day lives. We
live in a society that concentrates way too much on perceived flaws. There is
this barrage of images and opinions thrown at us every day from multiple
sources. These messages make it seem the beauty and self-worth are tied to
dieting and expensive clothes. Media makes it seem like the best way to gain
acceptance is to conform to this idea of beauty that is pushed on us from every
direction. It is hard to ignore the constant culture of too fat, too skinny,
too rich, too poor. The list of negative things we focus on is endless.
Sometimes it seems impossible to drown it out. But what if we could each find a
way to wipe our slates clean?
Often, the loudest and
most critical voice we hear is our own. We stand in front of a mirror and pick
ourselves apart bit by bit. We see hips that are too wide, a nose that is too
bumpy, etc. Imagine how we might feel if we only stood and focused our that
radiant smile or how the color of that shirt really accents the color of our
eyes. One of the reasons that I support Shimmer, Sparkle, Shine is because it
is a program that is working to help young girls change that inner voice. I
know I have spoken about faith and that the people who read this might not
believe in the same things that I do. I hope none of you reading are offended
by this comparison. The message linked to the holiday is quite clear though. Change
starts from the inside and radiates outward. How you speak to yourself matters.
This week, I would like to challenge each of you reading this to start working
on wiping your slate clean. Find the beauty that you possess. Throw away all
those thoughts that make you feel so negatively about yourself.
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