While listening to Pandora radio (love me some Pandora!) I heard a comedian – Caroline Rhea, I think — do an act about women and compliments. She went on to say that women will not take a compliment, and if one is given a woman will find a way to balance it with something negative about herself. I laugh, but God is it true. Someone will tell me how much they like my dress and I have to let them know that I got it from the thrift shop. Someone compliments my hair and I alert them to how dirty it is. What is this insanity? Why can't we accept the compliment and keep it moving?
It's not about conceit; we are not fancying ourselves the prettiest woman in the world. But why are women so hard on themselves?
Watching the new campaign for Dove drives this message home. The women in the spot describe themselves to a forensic sketch artist. A second woman describes that same woman to the sketch artist and the differences are striking. Some sketches show an older, tired woman. Some are heavier, some are like a caricature.
What is it that makes us see our flaws so vividly yet we cannot acknowledge all of our positive attributes? We are always trying to hide ourselves, appear humble, apologize for who we are.
I say no. No more.
Let's own that beauty, let's say thank you and hold our heads up. We wouldn't allow others to treat us the way we treat ourselves. Let's quit the abuse and say thank you. I am pretty.
Today I am changing that negative self-speak.
I am owning the lumps and bumps. They are curves.
The stretch marks are my gift for my teen, mommy scars and beautiful.
The laugh lines mean that I enjoy, and those eyes magnified by thick glasses . . . see it all.
I AM pretty. And so are you.
Rachée Fagg is a Delaware County, PA mom. This post was adapted from the A to Z Challenge on her blog, Say It Rah-shay. 
