Guest Post: The Way I See It Through My Viewfinder by Amy Rebekah

Hey Preps!

Kalyn here, and I would like to say that I have quite a treat for you today.  One of my best friends, and founder of Amy Rebekah Photography has been going through some similar things as I have been...she was inspired to write a post, combined with her photography for us today, and I surely hope you have the time to sit down and dig into what she has to say.  Regardless of whether you are going through a hard time or not in your life, I have found it is always great to take a step (or a leap) back and look at yourself...Amy did just that, and has written some motivational and inspiring words for all of us to read.  Be sure to check out her Facebook page, Amy Rebekah Photography.

(Photo Credits: Amy Rebekah Photography)

You know that you are beautiful the way you are, right? Sure. We hear it all the time. But have you ever taken a second to really contemplate that?

After the past two months, I’ve really needed to let that sink in. Break-ups are awful. I’m sure there are loads of you out there that know exactly what I’m talking about. He leaves, says that it isn’t you, it’s him, and excuses himself from your life leaving you with the broken pieces of your heart and the future you dreamed about. Ouch.

For a year and a half my self-worth was planted deeply in my man’s approval and affirmations. He loved me so much that it made me love me, too. If such a wonderful guy believed I was great, I was!

Wrong.

No, no. Not the “I’m great” part; the part where I believed I was great because he said so.

There is an endless list of things I don’t like about myself…

The Sourpuss List

-I have a funky eyebrow. Just one.

-I pick my nail polish off almost as soon as it dries. I can’t stop!

-There is a nasty little scar where I had a cancerous mole removed. It is so hideous. (Side rant: I am convinced that it came from years of soaking up UV rays in a tanning bed. I like being a bronzed babe as much as the next prep, but folks say it with me… spray.tan. Stay out of tanning beds!)

For weeks I couldn’t bear the thought of dragging myself out of bed. Who I was, what I loved, and my confidence were as distant as my ex. Nothing was okay and my sourpuss list ran through my head on loop. And then, eventually… I couldn’t take it anymore. One morning I woke up tired of being tired. Combined with some tough love (much of which came from our dear friend Kalyn), I got the kick in the rear I needed. I officially declared war on my negative thinking.

So I made another list, a better one.  Now every time a negative thought or feeling runs through my head, I have something positive to battle it with.  My new lists looks like this…

The-I’m-Great-Because-List

-I am good at taking pictures and love to spend time in the dark room

-I throw a mean party

-I’ve been working hard at the gym and my bum looks great!

Give-It-A-Whirl Goal List

-Learn to paint

-Give a compliment everyday

-Run faster; take time off of my mile

Now, when I feel beaten down by the not-so-great things in life and my negativity is getting the best of me I have the power to beat it down with positivity.

It looks like this…

Waaahhh wahh cry sob everything is AWFUL! Woah. Stop that thought. Literally, stop where you are and switch tracks. Take something from your positive thinking list and meditate on it, or jump to your goal list and get moving.

When I lift my camera to my eye the rest of the world falls away. It is just me, my camera, and so many wonderful creative juices flowing that sometimes I can’t click the shutter fast enough. I am way too busy loving taking photographs to be negative.

Doing this has changed my thinking about who I am. My value does not come from a silly boy who obviously has no appreciation for the finer things in life (helloooo, me!), but from within myself. I am great because I say so. I am beautiful just the way I am.

I would bet my L.L. Bean Wellies that I am not alone in this, and that’s serious because they’re the cutest things ever. I bet that once in awhile you have a bad moment, or week, or month.

Let’s battle those times together.

So, my darling preps, what do your lists look like? What negativity in your life needs a little slapping around? What makes you great? What new things would you like to try?

Get out there, and do something. Explore.

Go for a hike, volunteer, host a dinner party, or dig into a good book (may I suggest Succulent Wild Woman by Sark for the free spirit, or If You Have to Cry Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone for the young professional).

But most of all, remember that YOU are what makes you great. You are beautiful just the way you are.