Last night, zooming around Sydney with a fun friend in her sporty car, I was reminded of one of my favourite Aussie phrases.
“You Beauty!”
“You Beauty!” is what Australians call out when they’re pleased or excited, or when something really good (or mildly pleasurable) has happened.
Love it.
Yet so many people are uncomfortable thinking of themselves as beautiful, or calling themselves beautiful. I’ve never understood this because — honestly — I see beauty in people all the time.
Not perfection. Beauty!
I know many of you in real life or on Instagram, and you ARE (in fact) beautiful. I see your beauty. Faces, eyes, hands, talents, hearts. The way you influence, or care for, or create, or paint or write or sing or conduct or draw…the way you rock a child, or make banana bread, or give away cookies. The way your face looks. The way you organise a garage sale. The emails you write. Your mannerisms. Your smile. Your lanky body or cuddly body.
The way that YOU are you: I see this as your beauty.
We all have our days (weeks, months?) of feeling less than pretty. But this morning, I want to tell you: you are lovely. I know you are. One of my special gifts is that I’m good at seeing beauty.
If I were sitting with you, a coffee in hand, I could look at you and tell you fifteen ways that you’re beautiful, outside and in. The world needs to see more of you, not less.
We need to see you shine.
Last week I asked you a big question: If you could be the woman of your dreams, who would you be?
Today I want to say this: you are more beautiful than you know.
You are wise, loving, hard-working. You are trying your heart out to help or heal or grow or be or do or earn or love.
Well done, beautiful person. I’m glad you’re here, and that we’re all shining together.
Enjoy your Sunday, and be fun to live with!
Love Catherine x
PS
Jacaranda Snow, my debut picture book, is out now…I’m posting copies far and wide this week. Watch Helene paint the cover here! Get your copy here. Available in retail shops in October in Australia.
I’m going to buy Austin Kleon’s new book on creativity! Love his Steal Like An Artist Ted Talk.
This baby of mine turned 18 in September. I love remembering myself as a young mum. Here’s to Catherine Greer at 34. Babies are beautiful!
