be gentle

B E    G E N T L E .  

What do I mean by being gentle? I mean be gentle to yourself in your thoughts, actions, looks, accomplishments, and words. I think today, we are to hard on ourselves. Society has put in our minds what we need to measure up to be and the reality of it is that we can't all be what they expect us to be. Take me for example. I have recently gotten a couple of zits on my cheek. Never in my life have I had a zit on my cheek before. They have always been on my chin, or my forehead, and I have been feeling so self conscious because of them. It's okay to get zits! Not one person's skin on the earth is perfect. If they seem to be perfect, they have had way to many surgeries or their imperfections are places you don't and wouldn't want to see!

 I T ' S    O K A Y ! 

My other insecurity has been my bunny hill stomach. This is the name my husband and I have named it. I'm not as skinny as I was 4 years ago when I was swimming everyday and running for lacrosse in the off season. I don't have time to go workout 4 hours a day like I did when I was in high school. I need to understand and come to terms with that.

B E   G E N T L E   T O    Y O U R S E L F . 

You truly are a beautiful person. Don't listen to your negative thoughts! So what if you don't fit the mold! If everyone did, the world would be such a dull place. If you are overweight, sure you should workout and eat healthy, but don't stress about how others see you. If you don't have the latest clothes, great! Be confident in the clothes you have and make them the latest/greatest thing out there! Strut what you do have!

The Lord gave us our bodies. He gave us this opportunity to be here on this earth. He gave us all our own shapes/sizes, and he knew we would have our struggles, but He also knows how truly beautiful we are.

My husband has been asking me lately if I have been keeping up with this blog. I said no, and he said he could tell. I, myself, lose confidence. I do not like a lot of things about myself, but I am certainly trying to  B E   G E N T L E  to myself. So, today I have a job interview. I am going to go in there, and show them who Katie LaPriel Riding is. I am going to answer their questions honestly and confidently. I am an amazing person who is beautiful. I am going to  B E   G E N T L E  in how I judge myself.

All Natural

Okay so maybe not ALL natural, but just out of the shower face & hair. One of my biggest insecurities is not having any make up on. Make up really does  A   L O T   for my face, but I need to become more comfortable in my own natural self first. I have a best friend who is currently serving a mission. The other day, I went over to her parents house to visit and to pick up some postcards she sent me. While I was there, I sat and chatted with her little sister Miranda. Miranda is one of the prettiest people I have ever seen without make up on. She is confident, and doesn't care what others think. I believe that is what makes her so gorgeous!

So...
Here is being all natural.
Here is to an attempt of being more confident.
Here is to more awkward selfies...

I am not a fan of my cheek bones. Which is interesting because my husband  L O V E S  them. He loves how big they are! They make my face look fat when I open mouth smile. Like I just shoved 2 golf balls in my cheeks! At least they do when I'm not wearing any make up. Maybe one day I will be able to post a picture of me showing my teeth, and I will actually enjoy the picture. For now, these will have to make do! 

"When virtue and modesty enlighten her charms, the lustre of a beautiful woman is brighter than the stars of heaven, and the influence of her power it is in vain to resist."

~Akhenaton

What Defines You?

How can we more fully understand beauty? Maybe looking at the definition will help... We don't have a dictionary at our home, so here is the definition from dictionary.com!

Beauty : the qualities in a person or a thing that give pleasure to the senses or the mind. 

No where in that definition does it say you have to be skinny. No where in that definition does it say you aren't allowed to have a single zit.No where in that definition does it say you must always maintain a perfect wardrobe. I feel like the definition of beauty is defined by each of us individually. I believe that if we take these unrealistic/unhealthy models out of the equation, our view on beauty would change greatly. I also feel it important to point out that the above definition says "the qualities  I N  a person."  Women today don't give a second thought to who they are on the inside when comparing themselves to a picture in a magazine.



Above is a video. This woman has been called the ugliest woman in the world, and yet when you watch her in this video you can't help but view her as such a pretty person. This is a perfect example of what I'm trying to accomplish with this blog.

Maybe the first step along this journey is figuring out what defines you? 

I am defined by my family. They are the most important thing in my life. What they think of me is what matters most. I want so desperately to make my Husband, Parents, Grandparent, Siblings, In-laws, Pets, Cousins, Aunts & Uncles all proud of me. Their influences in my life help me to remain strong, and confident.

 I am defined by my religion. Being a member of the LDS community plays a huge part in who I am. Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints makes me the happy and optimistic person that I am. Also, Knowing that I am a Daughter of God defines my actions, thoughts, words, and deeds.



As of right now, that is  what I know defines me. As I continue further along this journey, I am sure I will discover what defines me. I hope to be able to figure out more fully who I am.

What is Beauty?

What is  T R U E   B E A U T Y ?   

In today's world, it seems to be considered beautiful, you have to fit a certain mold or match a certain criteria. I for one know I don't have perfect skin, I know I am definitely not considered skinny, and I don't have a perfect wardrobe. However, that does not mean I am not beautiful. In starting this blog, I hope to be able to allow myself to see the true beauty in me, as well as in the world around me. I don't plan to show it to the entire world, but if you happen to stumble upon this blog, I ask you to seriously consider what beauty is, and how we can change today's outlook.

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Most may know of this church by the more frequently used term of "Mormon." If unsure of what this means or wanting to learn more, click HERE. I am not the most confident woman in the world. I have my own insecurities, but thanks to my religion, I do have a knowledge of who I am. I am a Daughter of God. I am a Daughter of a King. I am a Princess. I know that I have Individual worth. That being said, I can remember that I was created by our Heavenly Father. Would He have created us so that we could live our lives feeling unattractive and worthless?  N O . 

It is my goal that through this blogging experience, I am able to change my own mind & perhaps change at least one other person's perspective on  B E A U T Y .  This may turn into just me posting a bunch of selfies and if it does, I am sorry, but I hope to be able to force my comfort zone to grow, and to see the world as the beautiful place it is intended to be. I hope if anyone goes along with me on this journey, they too will change.

Hopefully my "selfies" will get less awkward... I'm not a huge fan of how I photograph. Also this is something I hope to improve throughout this journey.