Bravery and Beauty – join the movement

I am Brave and Beautiful – a beauty movement that is sweeping the globe. Colbie Caillat started it with her recent song and video called TRY. And I wanted to push this movement along and invited women from all over to join me and share what they looked like without make up on!! I’ve been hinting about it on social media as my “secret project”. It’s not a secret anymore! Colbie’s song says, “Take your make up off. Let your hair down… Look into the mirror at yourself, Do you like you? Cause I like you… “

I teamed up with Cobi of Peacefrom6pieces to pull this project off (she’s a warrior!). Our worldwide vision included creating our own video inspired by the song TRY and the movemnt. The talent of Robbins Creative made it possible for us to pull it off. It could’t be more beautiful. I am so grateful to the brave women who participated and also took the time. I have watched it several times, each time catching little bits of different meanings here and there, glances, smirks, and yes I’ve cried more than once. You have to click play and see the beauty and bravery displayed, feel my heart and passion for this project and you might even recognize a few faces in there.

Me along with 101+ other blogging women from different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, ages, shapes and sizes have decided to be Brave and Beautiful! You can join in this movement too by sharing what you look like without makeup on. You don’t need a blog either! Just tag your photo with #IamBraveAndBeautiful on Instgram and search the hashtag to see who else has joined in. ALSO, if you tag it with a second hashtag – #ColbieTRY we just might be able to get Colbie Caillat’s attention since she was the inspiration behind it all! If you don’t want to share your own photo you can still do some good by SHARING this post. Facebook it, tweet it, Instagram it and Pin it. Tell your friends, tag your girlfriends, your sisters, your mom, your daughter(s)….When we share goodness it comes back to us in ways that we might not expect.

Are you brave and beautiful? I am, here I go!

Here’s what I look like on the average day – except that this Summer I went ALL blonde.

And here’s me without makeup on. My brave and beautiful self, in the raw. Not photoshopped or touched up. No editng and stripped of all my favorite accessories. This was taken right after the video footage was captured from the movie above. The uber talented @Lindsayblack_cfcdesign was on sight to capture our natural selves. She did a beautiful job (thank you Lindsay!).

 I am truly humbled with a heart bursting full of gratitude to each of the 120 women who felt the importance of this movement and joined in with my idea. It’s not easy to share or show yourself without make up on in a world full of perfect moments, photo filters, selfies, airbrushing, peer/media/social pressure and judgement. Some blogging women jumped right in and others stepped aboard with hesitation and nervousness yet wanting to conquer that. Colbie Callaits message is to be ok with yourself WITH your makeup on and WITHOUT. Don’t try so hard to impress everyone else and live up to someone else’s standard or ideal of what or who you should be. Just like she says, “do you like you???” …….SO – Do you like you?

In my Refashion your life Videos last year the somewhat underlying message that was constant throughout them was loving yourself enough to change. Having a healthy love of self creates good ripples of change that in turn strengthen those around you – family, friends, community and beyond. Isn’t that what it’s all about?…..helping others know of their importance and helping them become their best selves.

There is something very empowering about taking your makeup off and still loving that person you see in the mirror. Even more empowering to share it with the world! If you know me or are a regular reader or follower then you know I am big advocate of getting up and getting ready. For me that includes shower, hair, makeup, accessories and dressed for the day that I want to have (which is usually jeans, blouse and heels). No yoga pants and ponytails here! LOL. BUT – I do all that for ME, not someone else. On the flip side, I’m not overly concerned or obessed with the perfect outfit, perfect hair, perfect body, etc. You know how I feel about my body and “lack” of boobs! I’m ok with me. I am more concerned about doing good, making a difference, learning, growing and experiencing this daily gift of life. I heard a quote just this weekend that sums up some of my thoughts perfectly. Whether you believe in a God, or a higher power or none at all, I do. I know that my Heavenly Father created me for great things and with a divine mission. I find joy in living this belief each day and keeping it all in perspective. Here is the quote:

“Do you suppose it matters to our Heavenly Father whether your makeup, clothes, hair, and nails are perfect? Do you think your value to Him changes based on how many followers you have on Instagram or Pinterest? Do you think He wants you to worry or get depressed if someone unfriends or unfollows you on Facebook or Twitter? Do you think outward attractiveness, dress size, or popularity make the slightest difference to the one who created the universe? He loves you, not just for who you are this very day, but for the person of glory and light you have the potential and desire to become.” —President Uchtdorf

I hope that as you get clicking around (links are below!) to all the other women who are being brave and sharing their own beauty you will feel a spark inside and that you follow that  in the direction it takes you…. Where ever that may be for you! xo – Megan

Time to get  clicking around – its a blog hop! Below are more brave and beautiful women bearing more than their natural beauty. They each have a little bit of their heart to share with you. Some get very personal. Some share stories. For some this was very hard to do yet they gathered their courage and did it anyway. We hope as you click around (and YES pin and share these different posts!) you will feel the importance of it, the empowering effect it has and that it encourages you in some way.

>>>>>>>Important info! Blog Hops often have glitches the first day. If the link has an ERROR, simply click on the HOME button for each site, or google the blog name next to the link, and you should see their brave and beautiful post there. Links will be updated as soon as possible.<<<<<<<<<<<<

1. BrassyApple  2. Peace from 6 Pieces  3. Is this Really My Life  4. Among the Young  5. Love Me Dani Marie  6. Sweet Charli  7. Kim Orlandini  8. XO, Ashton Tilton  9. She Calls Me Mama Leisha  10. Raising Memories – Canada  11. A Little Tipsy  12. Amy Cornwell  13. A girl and a glue gun  14. My Craftily Ever After  15. Maybe I Will  16. WhipperBerry  17. Paging SuperMom  18. All Things Thrifty  19. Ashlee Marie  20. The Project Girl

 21. One Little Momma   22. Entirely Eventful Day   23. Diary of a Brown Eyed Girl   24. Tips from a Typical Mom   25. Utah Sweet Savings  26. Flats to Flip Flops  27. One Krieger Chick   28. What Meegan Makes  29. Simply Kierste  30. Live to be Inspired   31. HoneyBear Lane   32. Pretty Providence  33. Ma Nouvelle Mode – in FRANCE  34. MomEntity  35. Serger Pepper  – in ITALY  36. Kiki and Company  37. Girl Loves Glam  38. Thrive

39. The Potters Place  40. Crafting in the Rain  41. Cooking With Ruthie  42. Delineate Your Dwelling  43. The Pennington Point  44. Bakerette  45. The Happy Scraps  46. Shannon Baird Photography  47. Tried and Tasty  48. Lionesses at the Gate  49. Fry Sauce and Grits  50. Lolly Jane  51. That’s What Che Said  52. Sugar Bee Crafts  53. Your HomeBased Mom  54. Happiness is Homemade  55. The Crafted Sparrow  56. R&R Workshop  57. I Should Be Mopping the Floor   58. Sassy Steals

59.  Let’s Eat Grandpa  60. Being Spiffy    61. Sumo’s Sweet Stuff  62. Ginger Snap Crafts  63. Bless This Mess  64. Apronista  65. Dreaming About Someday  66. Frenchie  67. Tastefully Frugal  68. Four Marrs and One Venus  69. Your Sister Circle  70. Over the Big Moon  71. See Vanessa Craft  72. Infarrantly Creative  73. Family StoryTelling

74. Albion Gould  75.  Life as Mrs. Larson  76. Tried and True  77. Play.Party.Pin.  78. Bite of Delight  79. Ink Happi  80. ObSEUSSed  81. U Create  82. My Mommy Style   83. Find it Make it Love it  84. The Contractor Chronicles  85. Novae Clothing  86. Mommy Makes Things  87. At Home with Sweet T  88. We Like to Learn As We Go  89. House for Five  90. Organize and Decorate Everything   91. Sassy Southern Gurl  92. The Creative Mom  93. Keep Moving Forward with Me

94. The Benson Street  95. Mom 4 Real  96. Sowdering About  97. illistyle  98. The Crafty Blog Stalker  99. A Fiery Red Life  100.  Cupcakes & Crowbars  101. One Sweet Appetite  102. My DayLights  103. Restless Risa

104. Sypsie Designs  105. Vintage Mother  106. Like Mother Like Daughter  107. 30 Handmade Days  108. Queen B and Me  109. Apples by Ashley  110. Boutique Cafe – in CANADA  111. Just My Little Mess  112. Bombshell Bling  113. Sarah Tyau  114. Taradara Make it  115. Capturing Joy  116. Ivory Lime Photography  117. Jenkins Kid Farm    118.  Free Time Frolics  119. Bella Storia  120. Dana Ohlsen Photography

Ready in join in?Snap, hashtag and share! Tag @BrassyApple and @Peacefrom6Pieces if you can too!

 Also follow our Bravery and Beauty PINTEREST board for more inspiration!