Thread: Wow, She's Beautiful!

I have a friend who occasionally wears a shirt with a cartoon character running and pointing upwards, exclaiming 'Wow! She's beautiful!' She calls it her feelgood shirt, and I wish I had one myself.

So this is the feelgood thread!

The other day I noticed myself in a security camera video and realized that I had lost a large amount of weight, although I've spent the last several months believing myself to be a great deal larger than I am. I had a moment of thinking 'I'm beautiful!' and it brought tears to my eyes. I felt wonderful all afternoon.

We spend a lot of time talking about what's wrong with the way we look and how to fix it. However, Sherlock Holmes says that false modesty is as much of a lie as arrogance.

So now it is your turn! When have you had that moment, when you felt beautiful?

..g.:

My grandfather used to say "I wish I was born rich instead of good looking." I use that saying a lot, even if I'm joking around. I also have a t-shirt that says "Hottie" - why not? LOL!!

This is going to be a good thread, Brea.

Usually when I have gobs of makeup on, my hair is did and I'm in a bellydance costume. ..l;,

I have been practicing telling myself 'I am beautiful, just as I am' (a bit of a take of Mark's speech in BJD). I've also been reading this blog: Eat the Damn Cake. I am utterly in *love* with Kate. I love her un-roast bit and have been trying it- when I think a negative thought about myself, I say the above and then I have to say something nice to me about me. I don't always succeed but I do keep trying. It's a baby step, but it's a step!

Great thread! I've struggled with body image problems all my adolescent/adult life, but I'm making breakthroughs.

I felt beautiful after a wedding gig the other night, where people were having fun guessing my nationality due to my light blue eyes and dark hair. One guest told me that she thought I was so beautiful because even when my back was turned, I'd always look over my shoulder at the bride and smile.

Also, I feel beautiful when I see a great picture of myself! This is not a belly dance photo - in fact, it was an outtake from a random series of glamour/fashion photos my boyfriend took of me a few weeks ago. But this photo makes me smile because I'm snuggling with my puppy and looking right at my favorite man. Beauty comes from being in your "happy place," and this photo captures a very simple yet joyful moment.

There are two times when I feel my most beautiful:
When I am stripped of every ounce of make-up, right after I have washed my face for the night. I love make-up and think of it as body adornment, but soemthing about being down to my "elemental elementals" - when I'm just clean - makes me feel all sparkly and fresh and young and beautiful.

And the other time is right after I come offstage. I'm all full of adrenaline, sweating (or "glistening", as I like to call it), big old Cheshire cat smile, rosy cheeks from the exertion. I feel all "Rah! I am woman!" and like a wanton sex goddess. I know we're not supposed to be all "bellydance is sexy", but if the dance isn't, I'm not sure what is. I damn sure feel sexy when I dance. I feel beautiful and graceful and just ... full. Like I have to share all this yummy goodness with the whole world or I'll just burst.

Originally Posted by MakedaMaysa

There are two times when I feel my most beautiful:
When I am stripped of every ounce of make-up, right after I have washed my face for the night. I love make-up and think of it as body adornment, but soemthing about being down to my "elemental elementals" - when I'm just clean - makes me feel all sparkly and fresh and young and beautiful.

And the other time is right after I come offstage. I'm all full of adrenaline, sweating (or "glistening", as I like to call it), big old Cheshire cat smile, rosy cheeks from the exertion. I feel all "Rah! I am woman!" and like a wanton sex goddess. I know we're not supposed to be all "bellydance is sexy", but if the dance isn't, I'm not sure what is. I damn sure feel sexy when I dance. I feel beautiful and graceful and just ... full. Like I have to share all this yummy goodness with the whole world or I'll just burst.

:thumbs_up:

couldn't have said it better myself.

i feel the most beautiful after i know i've put my all into a performance, emotions and everything. something about that theatrical part of what we do when we perform just gets to me, and i love seeing that in other dancers as well. and when i'm not dancing, i feel the most beautiful after a good workout. i know im taking steps towards takin care of myself and it will show later on, even on days where i feel like crap.

In addition to what my grandfather said, I have to say that I feel my most beautiful after I have spent a relaxing day with people who truly care about me. There is an inner glow that comes to the surface and makes me look more luminous and younger.

Also, after taking a hot princess bath and doing all the goody girly things is definitely tied for second place after giving a really great performance!

I feel the most beautiful when I can smile at someone who isn't smiling and get them to smile back.

Originally Posted by Mahsima

I feel the most beautiful when I can smile at someone who isn't smiling and get them to smile back.

Nice!

I feel the most beautiful when I catch my husband looking at me and smiling... makes me feel good.

I feel beautiful when people tell me I look like my mom. When I was a little girl I thought my mom was the most beautiful woman in the world and even though she's not as young as she used to be and her face isn't as smooth as it once was my mom, to me, is still the most beautiful woman in the world.

Originally Posted by KelsNasim

I feel the most beautiful when I catch my husband looking at me and smiling... makes me feel good.

Yes!!! In total agreement!!! :-)

I used to be told I was beautiful a lot, even asked to model, or do t.v. (no way could I do that); I also have body image problems, so it made me uncomfortable, except when a child said it too me.
I coudn't give a damn if a guy said it to me (unless we've gone out a few times).
When I first met a guy, if he said he thought I was beautiful...it would scare the hell out of me.
(I'll start another thread and say why, later, right now I have to rush dinner to my Mom)

I have a few....

1. When Patrick kissed me, I never felt more beautiful. This was the first time I truely felt that way (and my stalker ruined it).

2. Last week I came in contact on facebook with a guy I went out on a double date with, when I was a teenager.
For me it was a blind date (my sister wouldn't tell me anything about whom I was going out with).
He just told me he KNEW who he was going out with!!!
We went to school together from K-12!
(Since everyone made fun of my birth defect, I didn't think anyone from my school would ask me out! I thought they'd be to ashamed!)
He made my day!

3. When Jamie asked me out.
He called me and asked "Do you want to go out with me, and get a pizza?"
"Me?......Really?"
"No silly! Your Dog! Who do you think?! Yes YOU!"
(That was my very first date alone with a guy. I had a wonderful time!)
:-)

Brea - Congratulations on the weight loss!!!
Satin - Gorgeous picture!!! And I totally agree with what you said too!

Well, I think everyone should imagine that they're wearing that shirt today, and actually believe it! ..g.: Today should be a day when we all look in the mirror (guys and girls both) and think 'Hell yeah.'

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

Well, I think everyone should imagine that they're wearing that shirt today, and actually believe it! ..g.: Today should be a day when we all look in the mirror (guys and girls both) and think 'Hell yeah.'

..g.:

Yesterday, I fell on a bunch of cute dresses that were on final sale (lucky me,r:;!)

The one that cought my eyes was purple (and sexy ..g.:) only 3 left, 2 X-small (forget it!) and one medium (hum??). I try the medium in a fitting room with no mirror ,m::. I hate that, b/c you have to go out to look at yourself in front of everyone in the store.

Inside the fitting room, the dress wasn't to thight but I was thinking "Oh crap I'm going to look like a sausage in this!" So I took a deep breath and came out and turn around facing the big mirror and... Yay Mama! Perrrrrfect fit, Woaw! The seller and two other ladies that were in the store compliment me and one even said: "No way I can wear a number like that, you have a nice figure!"

I spend the rest of the day waking on sunshine even if it was raining all day! ..l;,..l;,

Qamar

That's a great story, Qamar! ..g.:

Yesterday I was at the health store buying coconut oil and when I went up to the cash, the first man said "nice blue" (referring to my homemade dress) and the 2nd cashier said "and the most beautiful hair!" then the two cashiers starting fighting over me! "Hey I saw her first!" etc.
As I was leaving, one of them said I was "spicy."

It was the first time I ever got attention from a boy since I got engaged (by the way, I forgot to put my ring back on after my shower yesterday)!

People should compliment women more often, regardless of their marital status... as long as the compliment is tasteful, arguably any woman would feel a little better about herself.

I'm still waiting for the day that I get complimented by another female though. They are much harder to impress. You must be a really stunning woman, Qamar! :)

I think it means so much more when women compliment us. When a man compliments me, it doesn't mean much because I always think he wants something, maybe not right then and there, but he has other motives. Maybe he's just being sincere, but it's always more when a female gives a compliment: she really just wants to give a compliment.

This happened years ago, probably 3-4 years. I went to the Arabic grocery store, as usual (there are 5 of them real close by). I wore a summer dress, but it wasn't revealing, it was longer than knee length, no cleavage, or anything like that, but you could still see my shape because it wasn't baggy. It was an appropriate dress.
A Chaldean lady, who worked there came up to me, with her face so bright and happy and started 'rambling' that I have such a nice shape, I have the most beautiful hips, and the most beautiful body, and on and on and on.... I was shocked, especially that she just seemed like she HAD to tell me this because she was so happy! I thanked her, but I was so confused, and of course flattered. It seemed like as if she was talking about this with some of the women in the back, and then she got the courage to come up to me. It was cute, and wonderful and strange at the same time.

And then I realized, yes, I am not skinny, and never will be, and will never have the perfect body, but a lot of women do wish they had bigger hips, like me, and I guess that's not only belly dancers :)
That was a nice compliment, especially since it came from a woman, that's why I still remember it.

Those who have read my "ravings" on Gilded Serpent about my "Quest for Beauty" will understand...

Anytime I get dressed up for a BD performance, I feel beautiful. Anytime I get dressed up to go out to dinner or some other mundane event, I feel beautiful. When one of my dance sisters compliments me on my hair, my costume, my nails, my tattoo, my makeup, I feel especially beautiful.

And I feel the most beautiful of all when I'm "in the groove" with my dancing!

Kinda weird for a male, but there you have it! .p::

My best compliment recently - I was at my usual grocery store and the checkout clerk said "wow - you look like a superhero!". I was wearing an interesting saddlebag wallet/belt thing that I got at Tribal Fest years ago, crop jeans & striped tank top. But I think I was putting out a lot of positive energy too, because I had just fixed my bike and rode it for the first time from my new house to the store and was feeling mighty awesome. Anyway "superhero" felt like "beautiful" for me.

Every once in a while, I'll catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, from a certain angle, or moving in a certain way, and for the split second before I realize it's me, I'm impressed.

(This stands in direct contrast to the times when I look in the mirror and almost scream, lol. Does anybody else feel they actually look different on different days/at different times? I swear some days my face looks pretty nice, and other days it's just dreadful. Sometimes it's very obviously due to things like me looking tired, or hot and red, or something like that, but others I swear my face changes slightly. Is it muscle movement/relaxation? My mood that day? Very strange)

My troupemates did it today. They liked my makeup (which I don't enjoy wearing) and my tribal costume, and they said so. They were all gorgeous, and I am not shy to say so. They have taste, imagination and good looks, and put it to good use.

On the other hand, when I look in the mirror and I can't tell who I look more like, my mom or my dad, I feel very lucky and beautiful and zany and marvelous, like they are.

from about age 6 to age 16 I had body image issues. I always thought I was fat and I didn't think I was pretty (although I didn't think i was ugly). I was told countless times that I was quite beautiful but it didn't make any difference. I think what really made my body image worse was ballet. I have always had womanly curves which isn't a shape that is looked upon fondly in ballet. Also being put in front of a mirror in skin tight clothing with a bunch of other girls in your age group and to be told to look the same doesn't help, especially though puberty.
When I started belly dancing, I realized that my body wasn't wrong, I was just doing the wrong kind of dance. That, in fact, my body was perfect. I realized that women are supposed to have hips and a butt and thighs and even a little belly. Since then my body confidence has been pretty darn high.

Also, one time, I was eating lunch in the food court at the mall while on my break from work when I looked up and saw this girl. I looked at her and thought, "Wow, she's really pretty, but she looks like a *****" (part of the reason I thought she looked like a ***** was because she was so pretty ;p). I looked for a little longer and when she didn't move I realized I was looking at my own reflection in the mirror in the claw machine.

I feel most beautiful after I'm dripping with sweat after practicing alone in the spare bedroom. I love the way it looks when I just have a bra on with belly dance pants and do a belly roll undulation over and over again. When I do that, I am in AWE of myself. I have a very nice belly. :)

Btw, Satin Worship, that's freakin' adorable! Love it.

Originally Posted by sahaga89

I think what really made my body image worse was ballet. I have always had womanly curves which isn't a shape that is looked upon fondly in ballet. Also being put in front of a mirror in skin tight clothing with a bunch of other girls in your age group and to be told to look the same doesn't help, especially though puberty.

I find this comment interesting as my wife was very traumatized as a child because she "looked fat in a tutu" - plus her grandfather told her she was ugly and fat.

The damage wasn't truly fixed until she'd been Belly Dancing for awhile...

Originally Posted by sahaga89

Also, one time, I was eating lunch in the food court at the mall while on my break from work when I looked up and saw this girl. I looked at her and thought, "Wow, she's really pretty, but she looks like a *****" (part of the reason I thought she looked like a ***** was because she was so pretty ;p). I looked for a little longer and when she didn't move I realized I was looking at my own reflection in the mirror in the claw machine.

I laughed out loud at this one! That's fantastic.

When I was searching for my birthmother, I found a photo with the right name but thought 'she is too beautiful to be my mother'. Then it turned out she was, and my best guy friend looked at the photo and said "What? That looks exactly like you."

I too think I look different at different times. Sometimes I think I look old and world-weary, tired, fat, you name it. But sometimes - like the day with the camera - I think I'm beautiful, too.

This picture was taken a couple weekends ago when I was teaching a dance workshop and a drum and dance festival. I felt all sweaty and exhausted and with my hair au natural and no makeup I was really surprised to see this picture and be struck by the lines of it. Yay for a confidence booster ..g.:

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

This picture was taken a couple weekends ago when I was teaching a dance workshop and a drum and dance festival. I felt all sweaty and exhausted and with my hair au natural and no makeup I was really surprised to see this picture and be struck by the lines of it. Yay for a confidence booster ..g.:

Awwww pretty indeed! ..g.: