Since I started my blog I’ve had many questions regarding how the concept was created. I would like to take the time in this week’s post to answer all inquiring minds. And yes, indeed…beauty is involved.
The concept for Buddha Barbie began many years ago after coming to the realization that I was viewed in a very different light from how I actually was/and am today.
As a mother of three incredible children (two daughters and a son) I have always felt that it was very important to teach my children (especially my girls) that true beauty is a quality that stems from within. It doesn’t matter how beautiful you are externally; cruelty and bitterness internally are the truest determining factors of attractiveness.
(Kinda like a shiny red apple with a big ol’ bruise on the inside)
To me, it has been very important to teach my children that physical beauty is no different than having pretty wrapping paper on a gift. If the gift stinks…the wrapping paper wont even be remembered and will shortly be discarded.
Society, still today, puts a much greater emphasis on external beauty than internal and I have attempted to fight this phenomenon for much of my life by developing a core set of individual values, as well as establishing honest and genuine inner beauty. We are taught at an early age that the beautiful girl cannot be nice, smart, introspective and spiritual; it is simply impossible to have so many qualities. We learn quite quickly that in order for a woman to look smart she needs to dress down, and in turn, present herself in a more conservative fashion. We have been taught that in order to be spiritual we need to shun all of life’s material items in order to come one step closer to the gifts of nature and the almighty. On the flip side, many beautiful women downplay their intelligence by playing dumb. They, too, have fallen under the mindset that they belong in a certain category and that there is simply no point in developing their talents and establishing a presence. Over time, we have developed judgmental qualities that scream from the rooftop that beauty, make-up and pretty clothes make a woman superficial and shallow.
When we see a beautiful and sexy woman walk through the door of a restaurant we immediately label and judge her. We question how could she possibly be intelligent while looking like that? Immediately we think we know her value system, her intelligence level and her capabilities. But in reality, we don’t.
I am guilty of judging a book by its cover. I don’t do it anymore though. I try and give everyone a chance. I respect when a woman is in a baseball hat and no make-up as much as I respect when she’s all “glammed” up. While first impressions are important-they don’t always tell you what you need to know.
Believe me, I’m not saying that there aren’t plenty of women out there that don’t fit that bill. What I am saying, however, is that we have yet to see a substantial amount of people in society embrace both inner and outer beauty. Rather then judge a woman at first sight, we should consider her value as an individual and assume the best before labeling her as some incapable bimbo or unattractive intellectual.
Women DO NOT and SHOULD NOT have to fall into any one category in the world. I see the girls that don’t wear make-up or fancy clothes in an effort to tell the world that they are deep, unaffected and full of substance. While this may be true, and I’m certainly not here to judge, I can assure you that there are plenty women out there that are just as deep and just as spiritual but come in a different package. Beauty is, if nothing else, a marker for good genes that confer a host of desirable traits and is not just skin-deep for many. Judge Judy always says beauty fades but stupid is forever … Go Judge Judy!!!… I would argue that beauty doesn’t mean stupid and smart doesn’t mean unattractive… (May I add that glitzy doesn’t mean shallow too?)
The picture I took for Buddha Barbie serves as a metaphor for the true “Karin” on the inside, which for me- is a deeply spiritual woman. (Oh and very superstitious but that’s for another day) I want to convey that spirituality can still come in a pretty and sexy package… My goal is to encourage women to be comfortable in their own skin and feel confident in who they are and the message that they put out into the world each day they leave their home. I want to show that in today’s day and age, a woman does not have to choose any one particular way to be, look or act. She can be any way she chooses and is not limited to the boundaries society sets for her.
Every woman is beautiful in her own way.
The problem is that many women simply don’t feel beautiful, which is more often than not, a result of internal insecurity (remember that idea of inner beauty?)
Sometimes the best you can be means caring enough about yourself to take pride in your appearance which extends to the way you view yourself … There should be no shame in presenting yourself to the world in the best possible light either. If that means a little make-up and clean clothes then so be it. Yes, life is hectic and yes, when you have little babies who are up all night, clearly one must triage priorities- and if my memory serves me… a good night’s sleep takes the top of the list! But now we’re straying from the topic at hand. Life is about loving yourself- and to do so… take a few moments out of the day to care for the beautiful gift that is you.
In today’s world, we can raise our daughters to be smart, intelligent, beautiful and comfortable with their own sexuality- directing them to be the best they can be. No choice is wrong and no choice is self-limited.
How about opening the door for both brains and beauty, spiritual and sexy. These two concepts can share space in one glorious package.
It is important to learn to be comfortable in your own skin and embrace your inner self.
This can mean a million different things to so many different people. Only you know what your definition is. I encourage my children daily to be all that they can be and embrace who they are without worrying about what they next one is thinking.
Perhaps we could learn not to judge one another on the outside and get to know someone for more than thirty seconds before placing them in a certain category. This would involve “evolving”. (Try saying that ten times in a row… betcha can’t)
What I can say with 100% accuracy is this… Character contributes to a woman’s beauty. Her mode of conduct, standard of courage, discipline, fortitude, and integrity can do a great deal to make her even more beautiful. Beauty truly comes from the inside.
Until Next week…
Love,
Karin
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