As I lit tealight candles in the living room, turned on Mumford & Son's playlist, and snuggled into a giant beanbag, I realized I'd never felt more beautiful. And here's why. Nothing is special about this day this hour this moment at all, but my home, these candles (the ones I always light) and the Christmas lights (the ones I always plugin) and this sweatshirt (the one I always wear) plus the music, make this moment and make me feel like my life is the greatest biggest adventure ever. Like I'm in some fun, happy, content, movie.
When you see the things around you while experiencing a moment - say the windows are down in the car, it's dusk, you're in a baggy long sleeve and your hair is a mess. You have little to no makeup on, and your bare feet are up on the dashboard. There's music blaring, wind blowing, and to most people, it's an average evening. But to you, in that moment, appreciating the cool periwinkle sky as the sun disappears and the moon begins to peek out, while loving every single second of the wind completely ruining your once perfect hair, and feeling totally and completely alive, you have to stop and recognize that nothing is special about the moment but the moment itself.
I used the above as an example (one that I have experienced multiple times before), and I don't know, it just seems so simple to me. And the funny part is, I always feel the most beautiful, full, and happy when (once again) there's nothing special about my hair, my makeup (or lack thereof) or outfit (oftentimes it's not my cutest favorite outfit).
Yet, I feel the most beautiful happy and full just because of the little things in a seemingly ordinary moment.
So appreciate, feel, be present, take in the smells, the way the sweatshirt feels or the way the wind feels on your fingertips. In order to feel effortlessly alive and beautiful, you must first appreciate.