My Gal Friday - Charlotte of My Pixie Blog

Today's Gal Friday is Charlotte of My Pixie Blog .  She is a beautiful, confident woman who knows who she is and has a fantastic outlook on life!

What do you think is your best feature and why?

I would have to say my crazy, unruly, curly hair. I hated it growing up but now I feel it almost has it's own personality and it's become my trademark feature. And you can generally tell how stressed out I am by how out of control my hair is. By 4pm during deadline season at work, it's usually piled on top of my head like a bird's nest.

What do you think is your best (non physical) trait and why?

I'm a really good talker/listener. I love to sit down with friends, neighbors, strangers, coworkers and learn from them. Our life experiences are often very different, but in the end, I think we all want the same basic things: love, acceptance, lasting friendships. 

What (non physical) traits do you admire in others? 

Honesty. I'm a big girl and can handle most things. But if you feel the need to lie to my face, we're done. Oh, and a sense of humor is always appealing and very sexy.

What three words would you use to describe yourself?

Quirky. Sensitive. Free-spirited.

Is there anything about yourself that at one time bothered you but now you love? 

This actually touches on something I've been giving a lot of thought to lately. I've always been a bit of a pushover and have allowed things to happen in my life because I was too afraid to stand up for myself. I have since developed a backbone and I figured out that it IS possible to achieve the things we want without having to be hurtful, mean, and disrespectful.

If you could give kids a piece of advice about having a positive self image, what would it be?

Find one thing you love and give it your all. Growing up, I was often teased for my big glasses, curly hair, hand-me-down clothing, etc. And I would go home and scribble furiously in my journal. It was tremendous therapy and it was an outlet I desperately needed. Kids are cruel, but we need to find a way to channel those feelings.  

What do you wish you hadn't worried about when you were younger? What would you tell yourself if you could go back?

I worried about everything: boys, grades, fitting in. I spent a lot of time focusing on the wrong things and not looking within and I think that's why I had such a poor self image. I suppose if I could go back I would tell myself that one day, all of that won't matter. That the girl who once picked on me in the lunch room won't even be an afterthought. I really wish I had understood the extent of that back when it really hurt the most. 

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

I see a confident and happy young woman who is just where she needs to be in life.

Anything else you would like to share about positive body image/inner beauty?

There was a defining moment for me when I moved away from mere acceptance and really started to feel comfortable and happy in my skin. It wasn't an easy road, but I had a lot of help with yoga, writing, meditation, good friends, fine wine, interesting books, and travel. To feel good on the outside, we must feel good within, right?