At this point I had two options

Here's where I went wrong...

I got up, put in a load of laundry, and started cleaning the kitchen.  Soon I had most of the kitchen done and the clothes in the dryer were all dry and ready to be folded.  I was looking pretty shabby but I put off a shower because I was in cleaning mode.  I glanced in the mirror, sighed and sat down to start folding clothes. I think I would have avoided my semi-serious, self esteem meltdown, if right after looking in the mirror and feeling frumpy, I hadn't seen women on TV talking about how hard it is to be a size 2 instead of a size zero.  Then to top it off, I changed the channel only to find Megan Fox talking about how plain she really is.  Really?  Sorry, but she bugs me. 

At this point I had two options.

Option #1 was to play sad songs loudly and  bury myself in laundry. 

Option #2 was to put on my stretchy pants & eat something chocolate while watching Bridget Jones diary.

Fortunately, I got distracted by a few teenagers and while looking for something else, I ended up finding an article from an LDS magazine about inner beauty that I had folded up and was stuck in the back of  a drawer.  I started reading and as I finished and folded the paper back up, I said goodbye to Options 1 & 2.  I had a new option.  Option 3 was to snap out of feeling sorry for myself because I can do that any ole' time!  Today I am going to focus on what really makes us beautiful... and it's not stretchy pants. 
Here's part of what I read:

What makes a woman beautiful? The world tries to convince us that cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, fashionable clothing, diets, and even surgery are necessary for beauty. While some of these fashion aids are desirable and lovely, they can change only surface appearances.

The gospel teaches us that true beauty is more than skin-deep. A young woman whose countenance is aglow with both happiness and virtue radiates inner beauty.

“Happiness is the most attractive accessory a young woman can have.”

I came across this one-line sermon in an old magazine article. I thought it was profound. If happiness is the most attractive accessory a young woman can have, then a smile would have to be the most charming cosmetic. Make-up, if applied tastefully and in moderation, can enhance appearance. But no amount of eye shadow, lipstick, or mascara could possibly compete with the natural attractiveness of a genuine smile. It brightens the room. It cheers others. It communicates friendship, love, and optimism so much more than any cosmetic ever could. It puts people at ease and is welcoming. Truly in the world of glamour, there is no close second to a genuine smile.

Mirror, mirror on the wall …

If you are discouraged about your appearance, it will help to see yourself through the eyes of those who love you. Hidden beauty seen by loved ones can become a mirror for self-improvements. This phenomenon of the person internalizing the expectations of others with subsequent positive change has become known as the Pygmalion effect, after the famous play in which the “guttersnipe,” Eliza Dolittle, becomes the refined My Fair Lady. The beauty was always there; Eliza only needed help from others to discover it.

Our Father in Heaven provides the perfect example of this principle. He sees our divine nature. We are His children. The way He sees us, because of His love for us, is perfect. The mirror which He holds constantly before us, if we will only raise our sight to look, is the one in which we should trust. Its image is always true and never distorted. He reminds us, as He did Moses, “Thou art my son [or daughter]” (Moses 1:4).   -taken from True Beauty by Elder Lynn G. Robbins Nov. 2008

I love how there are times when you come across just the right words at just the right time.  Thank you Elder Robbins for saving me from options 1 & 2.  I feel better.  Now back to the laundry.

Here's where I went wrong...

I got up, put in a load of laundry, and started cleaning the kitchen.  Soon I had most of the kitchen done and the clothes in the dryer were all dry and ready to be folded.  I was looking pretty shabby but I put off a shower because I was in cleaning mode.  I glanced in the mirror, sighed and sat down to start folding clothes. I think I would have avoided my semi-serious, self esteem meltdown, if right after looking in the mirror and feeling frumpy, I hadn't seen women on TV talking about how hard it is to be a size 2 instead of a size zero.  Then to top it off, I changed the channel only to find Megan Fox talking about how plain she really is.  Really?  Sorry, but she bugs me. 

At this point I had two options.

Option #1 was to play sad songs loudly and  bury myself in laundry. 

Option #2 was to put on my stretchy pants & eat something chocolate while watching Bridget Jones diary.

Fortunately, I got distracted by a few teenagers and while looking for something else, I ended up finding an article from an LDS magazine about inner beauty that I had folded up and was stuck in the back of  a drawer.  I started reading and as I finished and folded the paper back up, I said goodbye to Options 1 & 2.  I had a new option.  Option 3 was to snap out of feeling sorry for myself because I can do that any ole' time!  Today I am going to focus on what really makes us beautiful... and it's not stretchy pants. 
Here's part of what I read:

What makes a woman beautiful? The world tries to convince us that cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, fashionable clothing, diets, and even surgery are necessary for beauty. While some of these fashion aids are desirable and lovely, they can change only surface appearances.

The gospel teaches us that true beauty is more than skin-deep. A young woman whose countenance is aglow with both happiness and virtue radiates inner beauty.

“Happiness is the most attractive accessory a young woman can have.”

I came across this one-line sermon in an old magazine article. I thought it was profound. If happiness is the most attractive accessory a young woman can have, then a smile would have to be the most charming cosmetic. Make-up, if applied tastefully and in moderation, can enhance appearance. But no amount of eye shadow, lipstick, or mascara could possibly compete with the natural attractiveness of a genuine smile. It brightens the room. It cheers others. It communicates friendship, love, and optimism so much more than any cosmetic ever could. It puts people at ease and is welcoming. Truly in the world of glamour, there is no close second to a genuine smile.

Mirror, mirror on the wall …

If you are discouraged about your appearance, it will help to see yourself through the eyes of those who love you. Hidden beauty seen by loved ones can become a mirror for self-improvements. This phenomenon of the person internalizing the expectations of others with subsequent positive change has become known as the Pygmalion effect, after the famous play in which the “guttersnipe,” Eliza Dolittle, becomes the refined My Fair Lady. The beauty was always there; Eliza only needed help from others to discover it.

Our Father in Heaven provides the perfect example of this principle. He sees our divine nature. We are His children. The way He sees us, because of His love for us, is perfect. The mirror which He holds constantly before us, if we will only raise our sight to look, is the one in which we should trust. Its image is always true and never distorted. He reminds us, as He did Moses, “Thou art my son [or daughter]” (Moses 1:4).   -taken from True Beauty by Elder Lynn G. Robbins Nov. 2008

I love how there are times when you come across just the right words at just the right time.  Thank you Elder Robbins for saving me from options 1 & 2.  I feel better.  Now back to the laundry.