Be the change

This is a snapshot of me:

I am a dress size 0 to 2. I stand five feet, two inches tall. You might say I'm pretty. I've also been told I'm smart and funny. I have a beautiful, smart husband and am raising a beautiful, smart daughter. Two years ago I began the launch of my own business. Some folks might say I'm doing pretty good in this world.

BUT

I wish I was thinner and taller.  I wish my hair were naturally red. I think I'm pretty dumb and I know I'm naive. I have a beautiful, smart family that I constantly worry will see I am not good enough for them and then leave me. I am not as successful as I'd like to be and I'm fairly certain it's because I don't work hard enough.

fffffound via Pinterest

I have a point here.

I get a lot of compliments from friends, family, and strangers.  I also have a lot of support from friends, family, and strangers. But I still do not think I am good enough or pretty enough.

Why?

Well, I'm still trying to figure that out. (Luckily, my insurance covers therapy.) Basically, though, I'm on a journey. Not only am I trying to change my perception of myself, I'm also trying to change how I see other people. For example, when I see overweight people sporting revealing swimwear at the beach part of me thinks,

"Yeah! Love yourself just the way you are! Wear that skimpy bathing suit if it makes you feel good!"

but another part of me screams,

"Put it away! Put it away!"

 

Because I don't even know what beautiful is or what it is supposed to be! So yeah, I'm on a journey. Part of that journey includes my brand, Never a Plain Jane Designs.

Never a Plain Jane Designs on Etsy

Like me, NPJ is evolving. See, I was doing it all wrong.  I thought I'd start by appealing to (offbeat) brides because garters are already present in the wedding industry, and then I'd move into other markets. I do want brides to wear one of my very special creations on those most important days.

But really, I want to start with you. Yeah, you.  I want to make you a garter that reminds you of who you are or who you strive to be.

A reminder that you  you are strong when you feel weak.

Even though you haven't had time to shower today, you have smushed peas in your hair, and no makeup on, I want you to be wearing something that makes you feel like a sexy beast.

I want you to be able to put on a physical representation of your mental armor.

Or...

Take a day to play around with your image. If you wear an edgy/demure/vintage/punk garter under your "normal" clothes will you feel differently?

Will you act differently?

Will people treat you differently because there is just something different about you?

And how do you feel about all that? Because if it feels good it might be time to take that secret image and wear it on the outside. Sometimes we just want to take "different" for a test drive without sharing it with the world because it is important to know how something makes you feel before we open it up to commentary from the rest of the world.

I want to give you that. Everyday.