Inner Beauty

By Coach Dana Bosley

A few years ago I attended a luncheon. When I arrived, I was quite taken by and drawn to a lovely lady sitting at the end of the table. She was much older than I, yet I couldn't resist sitting myself close to her. The woman was well dressed and impeccably groomed and it was obvious she had taken care of herself over the years, however, what drew me to her was her inner beauty. Peace, confidence and inner exquisiteness oozed out of her. There were many other women much more outwardly beautiful at the luncheon, but the elderly woman with the magnetic inner beauty was irresistible. That experience was a turning point in my life, from then on I wanted to be as beautiful as the lovely lady at the end of the table was at her age. That day I determined in my mind and heart that I would work on my inner beauty. Care and attention given to our outer beauty is important, as it is a reflection of our self-respect, dignity and self-esteem; but couple that with inner beauty and you'll become like a magnet that draws people to you just as that lady did with me.

You've heard it said that "beauty's only skin deep". If that is the case, then to find inner beauty one must go beyond the epidermis and into the soul of the human being. Inner beauty is an intangible quality that radiates from within. You may observe someone who is not exceptionally attractive physically, yet they portray a positive quality of character or virtue, and you find yourself thinking of them as "a beautiful person".

You can often detect inner beauty by looking into someone's eyes, as the eyes are the window to the soul. They reveal character and attest to the true nature, attitude and beauty of a person. If there is honesty, peace and sincerity within, their essence will radiate and be discerned as the inner beauty of that personality.

Inner beauty radiates, it glows--you can sense it, you can feel it. Inner beauty is essential if one is to lead a happy life.

How do you find inner beauty?

You can develop inner beauty by thinking positive thoughts and taking good, positive action in every situation you find yourself in. Following are some thoughts along this line.

You have to have a reason for living. Something beyond the accumulation of material possessions or advancement in business and society-otherwise you'll find that you're only existing-and not really living. Realize that you are important and your life has a purpose and as such you are responsible to develop and mature at the inner level. One way to do this is by seeking to grow in wisdom, in usefulness to those around you, and in being caring and compassionate. In so doing, you can become a more stable and secure person as you learn what living is all about. Be open to change and new mindsets. Try something you've never done before. Consider signing up with a Life Coach. Seek to pursue things in your life that are beautiful and purposeful. Discover the wonders of things such as developing a love for music, partaking in charitable causes, reading great books, having simple faith in God, and so on.  Compliment your inner beauty with your outer beauty and you will have a winning combination! 

(Coach Dana Bosley is the founder of Action Vision Coaching and has developed some great self-care programs. Visit her site at www.actionvisioncoaching.com)

P.S. After writing this post I read these insights from Audrey Hepburn that I thought went along perfectly with what I was saying so I want to share them with you too.

The Beauty of a Woman by Audrey Hepburn

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years."