7/1: One Beautiful Thing Monday

This week's One Beautiful Thing is short and sweet...

I've been observing my neighbor lately. She and her daughters (along with her hubby) are always outside playing and exercising. Whether I see the girls round the corner of the street on their bicycles or I see her running with her daughters in the stroller, she is teaching her girls a valuable lesson. My neighbor is showing her daughters that it is important to have an active and healthy lifestyle. She's teaching her daughters that exercise should be an everyday occurrence and she makes exercise fun by incorporating it into family activities. I honestly believe that this is one of the most beautiful things that a parent can do for their child and it fills me with joy to think that her daughters will someday grow into strong, confident, and healthy women.

Far too often I come across women who are very self-conscious, lack self-esteem, and do not have a high value of self-worth. Many of these women are constantly trying new diet fads and are desperate for a quick miracle fix to be the person they think they should be. Unfortunately, these women are unhappy with themselves and are their own toughest critic. This behavior also comes with it's own negative effects: children are likely to mirror their parents. If a daughter sees her own mother judge herself harshly, use negative self talk, and undervalue her worth, the daughter will probably do the same. I am so glad that my neighbor is setting a good example for her daughters and empowering them to be healthy and happy girls; it's truly a beautiful thing.

One of my favorite bloggers, The Fitnessista, recently wrote about body shaming and the effect that it has on ourselves and those we influence (our children). The woman behind the blog, Gina, is also doing a beautiful thing by teaching her daughter the importance of healthy living and exercise, but also teaching her daughter that it is ok to indulge every now and then because, after all, we are only human and it's important to live a full and happy life. Check out her post here.


Did you see something beautiful this week?
If so, share it in the comment box below.