Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Top 5 - Beauty Power Songs (Beautiful: Part 3)

When I'm in the middle of one of those "down, ugly, and useless" funks, I find that sometimes belting out a few select songs can really help me to stand a little taller, feel a little stronger, and increase that beauty-meter to a more reasonable notch. It's those subliminal messages in the lyrics coming through my speakers that remind me to look in my soul and find my God-given beauty. So without further ado... here are my

Top 5 Beauty Power Songs 
(in no particular order...)

Natalie Merchant - "Wonder": This song was a huge lifter for me when I was a teenager, and after a trip to the library where I found the "Tigerlily" CD its power to remind me of my own "Wonder" returned. All it took was one iteration of the lyrics "They say I must be one of the wonders, God's own creation..." to escape my lips and I could already predict the auto-renew of this one. Or at least purchasing the song on iTunes.

Natalie singing "Wonder" on Letterman circa 1996

Christina Aguilera - "Beautiful": Sometimes I look in the mirror and hate what I see. I think that others hate what they see (how couldn't they). I start to ask Steve if he's SURE he thinks I'm beautiful (which...wives, if you ever want a sure-fire way to drive your husband bananas - ask him that about 10 times in the same evening). Then I remember that this is just self-talk, words, and I remember the lyrics from this song: "I am beautiful, no matter what they say. Word's can't keep me down...". Granted, I am the "they" in this instance... but I think we're own own worst "they" (if you know what I mean).

Truthfully, this song should be an anthem for women everywhere

Sammy Kershaw - "She Don't Know (She's Beautiful)": Early on in our relationship Steve was honest with me about the times I wear make-up: he hates it. Why? Because he feels like it covers up my true beauty and unless I'm "all dolled up" only detracts from whatever I'm wearing that day and my naturally pretty-self . Then one day we were driving in the car and this song came on the radio; he looked at me and said "This is what I think of you. You have NO idea how gorgeous you are." That has stuck with me, and ever since this has been a constant reminder of how my husband (at the time boyfriend) views me. Ladies - ask your significant others: I bet they think the same thing.

The song is set to flowers in this "video". Why did I pick this version? Flowers are also beautiful.

Rascal Flatts - "Bless the Broken Road": Nothing makes a woman feel more beautiful than putting on a wedding dress, getting all dolled up, and having a man stare at her all day long admiring her beauty and loving the fact that he gets to spend the rest of his life with that hot, gorgeous, soulfully beautiful woman. As such, this song makes me feel beautiful because every time I hear it I'm brought back to my wedding day. Sometimes when it plays at home, I'll even get to relive that moment where that same man stares at me with a big smile while dancing in the middle of whatever room we're in.

Sometime pull up YOUR wedding song and make your husband dance with you too. Relive it.

"Amazing Grace": This simple reminder that I am loved for who I am by God no matter who else does or doesn't love me here on earth is one of those songs that helps my "inside beauty" shine through. If you remember from my first "Beautiful" post, one of the applications to work on is to try and see myself as God sees me. The truth is that He loves all of us, no matter what and even in our "ugliest" moments. We are His beautiful, amazing children and He would do anything for us. I'm not God, but I'd have to guess that His heart breaks when we talk down to ourselves and don't see our true beauty. "Unending love... amazing grace..."

If you want to see the "real" Chris Tomlin video, go here.
Feeling beautiful is not something that comes to us easily by any means. There are things that we can do to help ourselves feel more beautiful both on the outside and on the inside - probably starting on the inside. My mom always told me that's where your beauty starts; when you're feeling amazingly beautiful on the inside, it will shine through your outside. 

So sing a song of beauty and start working on your soul. Feel that beauty emanate from your core and work its way to shine out from the tips of your fingers. 

What songs do you sing to help you out of a beauty funk?

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