Like a lot of high school girls I wore makeup. Every morning before school I would pick out one of my bright-colored eye shadows and apply it. Then I'd comb two layers of mascara on my eyes lashes and powder a small amount of blush on each of my cheeks. As the finishing touch I'd pick out a light-colored lipstick and draw it on my mouth.
I don't even remember making the conscious decision that I wanted to wear makeup. It was just something that you did, a rite of passage from little girl to grown-up woman, just following what the older girls were doing.
My mom wore makeup. I remember watching her in awe as she transformed her face with all the liquids, powders, pencils and colors. I never remember saying "I want to do that." My sister, who was younger than me but ran with the "in crowd," wore makeup even before I did because that's what all her friends did.
Without thinking too much about it I started applying it daily and before I knew it, it was part of my morning routine. Until one day I came home and took the makeup off my eyes and didn't like how I looked or felt about myself. I didn't like how my eyes looked and thought they looked plain. And if I looked plain I must be boring!
I decided right then and there to not wear any more make-up until I liked what I saw staring back at me in the mirror. From that day on I've rarely worn make-up except for special occasions.
It took me a little bit of self-work, but I ended up liking my face and features and decided if I liked what I saw in the mirror why would I want to cover it up? I liked me and I was far from boring, so why would I need anything more? Today wearing make-up makes me feel like putting on a face that is not mine, a mask; it doesn't feel authentic to me.
It's a curious thing. Other than automatically doing it because the women in my family and community did it, there was never a conscious decision to do it, or a reason to doing it. There have never been any men in my life that have requested I wear makeup. In fact, they all liked that I didn't wear any. And as a bonus it doesn't take long for me to get ready to go anywhere and I can be done at a moments notice.
When I was a body working entrepreneur natural was perfect. But when I started networking with other entrepreneurs and business women I started noticing some judgments because I didn't play up my assets with makeup and "package" myself.
But I wasn't willing to sell myself short and compromise my authenticity to make others feel comfortable, even if, in the moment, I was uncomfortable. For some reason I instinctively knew as a teenage girl back then that it was important to love myself first and foremost. I was building the foundation of who I am today, authentically powerful without make-up.
Where have you made a decision to choose you over what was expected of you?
Where are you following the crowd and it isn't authentically serving you?
I encourage you to take a moment to think about that and even write some of the examples down. Then dwell on those points and decide if you are just following a crowd or routine or if you are doing this because you want to do it, because you think it's the right thing and this is how you want to behave or present yourself. There is nothing wrong with being you -- ever!
If you need a little support to feel comfortable being your authentic self, use this guided Tapping video: https://youtu.be/TXxenv-POng