What makes me feel beautiful?

I was distracting myself from writing the paper when I saw a really interesting article on CNN. An author was writing about what made her feel beautiful, and it was when her work helps other women.

So I started thinking, what makes me feel beautiful?

Well, there is the superficial things. For instance when I'm wearing a cute dress and heels. Or when I just get my haircut. But there are a few times when I felt beautiful just because...

• when someone genuinely smiles at me, and their eyes light up
• after an intense yoga practice and I feel limber and free
• Walking outside and the cool breeze hits my skin
• when I'm training with a group of leaders and they tell me that I'm amazing and had awesome fun with me
• When I'm swinging on the swings
• when I'm flying along the river in a speed boat and the wind is whipping my hair
• when I'm playing with my young cousins and their pudgy little messy hands reach over and grab my face between them and rub their nose with mine
• when something awkward or funny happens and I happen to catch someone's eye at the time and they wink at me
• walking down the street and holding hands with someone
• when I check out my own legs in the mirror of the gym when I'm wearing bike shorts - my legs are hot
• when I finish a knitting project
• On a fall day when I can start wearing my fuzzy sweater
• my favorite pair of jeans and moccasins
• Helping someone who needs it
• late night chats with the girls
• being complimented for my intelligence
• when I'm told that I deserve better
• when my giggles turn into deep belly laughs and I can't contain myself
• when I look at other people with kindness and compassion
• when I sing in church while sitting in my pew, and the light always seems to come into the window and find me directly... I usually get chills