BTT: No Makeup Tuesdays

These girls are a breath of fresh air.

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I am a makeup junky, but I love this idea of going bare for a day and letting your spirit and personality show through.

More and more young girls are turning to the pages of magazines for their definition of beauty...but celebrities in magazines are not true beauty.

They have makeup artist spending hours and hours applying layers of makeup.They have photographers who know what angles look best. Mostly, they have digital producers who are wizs at photoshop and with the click of a mouse, they can create a completely different person.

I love that these young women have taken a stand...not against makeup but against hiding behind makeup.

BTT- Healthy Starts

The beautiful thing today is saying goodbye to bad habits and hello to a fresh, clean start! After my doctor suggested I lose weight because of a family history of high cholesterol and heart disease, I decided it was time to rethink not only my diet but also my lifestyle.

I am 23, hardly ever sick, I love fruits and veggies and yet my doctor is concerned about my cholesterol levels. This is a stark dose of reality. If I don’t change my bad habits not, I may never change.



So, my roomie and I have decided to try a paleo-diet combined with daily exercise. A Paleo-diet, also called a caveman diet, consist of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats. No dairy, no sugar and no processed food…so basically all my favorite things.
Tonight we had our “last super” so to speak and tomorrow begins withdrawals…it’s like being a drug addict and my drug is food.

There will be bad moods, tears and lots of venting (some of which may be on here) but I know a month from now I will feel 1000 times better and never look back! (well, maybe once for my birthday cake…)

BTT- Strawberry Shortcake!

I’m keeping this post short and sweet. Strawberry shortcake, shared between two friends, is the beautiful thing today! There is nothing better on a Monday afternoon than a casual lunch with a great friend…especially a friend who loves desserts like me!

Photo: Delish.com

The Beautiful Thing for Today

I’m going to take a walk on my nerdy side today….the beautiful thing today is school supplies! I can remember getting soo excited when my mom would take me back-to-school shopping for news clothes, a new backpack and most importantly, new notebooks and pencils. I would wonder up and down the aisles at Office Depot and be mesmerized by the large selection of pens and notebooks.



For me, there is nothing better than that new book smell or the feeling of writing on the first blank page of a notebook. Nerdy? Yes….but I have embraced that part of my personality…I love school, I love learning, and I love my type-A personality! So all my fellow nerds out there, crack open that new textbook or planner and enjoy this new school year!

The B-E-A-U-tiful Thing of the Day

The most beautiful thing today is…PASSION! Not ooy-gooy, lovey-dovey, boyfriend-girlfriend kinda passion but passion for what makes your soul happy! I have spent this week interviewing and researching new businesses in my area for my university paper and I have learned passion for what you do is what will make you succeed.

I interviewed a woman who started a café after working for large restaurant corporations for most of her life. She said she couldn’t be happier! Then I spoke with a young college graduate who, with the help of her mom, started a photography and print studio…she is following her passion and couldn’t ask for more!

Passion is a beautiful thing because without it, we are merely worker-bees. I think Elle Woods (Legally Blonde) said it best, “It is with passion, courage of convection, and strong sense of self as we take our next steps into the world!”

The B-E-A-U-tiful Thing of the Day

Today begins a new segment called, "The Beautiful Thing of the Day". This thing (or person or place) could be literally anything that makes you and your day a little more beautiful! Monday through Friday I will post my beautiful thing for the day...feel free to post your beautiful thing for the day in the comments section. I look forward to hearing about your "B-E-A-U-tiful Things!"



Today’s “Beautiful Thing of the Day” is kickboxing! I took a class last night and it was amazing! Even though I am super sore today, I greatly enjoyed the 45 minuets spent in the class. With all the kicking and punching, I was able to really work out any frustrations created over the past week.

I won’t lie, the class is intense (I felt like I was sweating buckets), but if you just push through the pain and sweat, you will end the class feeling strong and empowered. I left last night feeling like I could take on the world…if only I wasn’t so sore!