For the last two weeks, on Friday, I have shared a list of 10 or more things that I have found that are great during the week. This week I only have 3, and here’s why.
This month is about loving yourself. Loving who you are and the talent you have and honoring what you can do. And the three things linked below are the three things I found this week that most represent that.
madison lawrence covering ed sheeran.: Madison is someone who is popular on Vine and also makes great videos on YouTube. I’ve been following her on Vine for a while now, and I feel like Madison is always someone who shows people what it means to love themselves. She is strong in who she is, and has incredible talent. She has auditioned for essentially every singing/talent show available to her, and while she hasn’t ever made it, she hasn’t let that stop her. Recently the MTV twitter has highlighted a couple of her covers, and Madison is still humble and gracious about it. Though I don’t know her personally, she seems like a kind soul, and like someone who really loves herself. This particular cover is my favorite of hers, so I thought I’d share it with you.
this is not an apology: If you’re paying attention to the news, you’ve heard about ISIS. Chances are, even if you’re not paying attention, you’ve heard about them. And if you’ve lived in the U.S. for the last 13 years, you know how easy it is for someone to assume that someone is a terrorist based on their religion. It’s terrible that our perception of Islam has come to this, but it has. And so I offer you this – not an apology, but a chance to understand. Kate is a friend of mine who has recently converted to Islam. She’s in a relationship with a man who was raised Muslim, and as she learned more about his religion, she found that it fit her beliefs. I find her new-found love for Islam to be beautiful, and I chose this piece to showcase not only because it was posted this week, but because she offers no apology for her beliefs, and I like that. Everyone should be entitled to their own beliefs, to what is truly part of them, and Kate is a wonderful example of this. I hope you read this piece, and the other posts she has written about her exploration of Islam and her eventual conversion. It is a beautiful story.
the thing she’s always wanted: a tiny house.: Alexis has been a friend of mine for several years. We met via Tumblr, and the summer before I moved to North Carolina she sent me a mixed CD that I still play on occasion. As we got to know each other more and more, there was something about Lexi that truly spoke to me. She’s a beautiful soul. And often, we would talk about our plans for the future. And always, always, Lexi’s plans included a tiny house. If you don’t know what a tiny house is, you can visit The Tiny House Blog to find out a little more. Essentially it’s a smaller, more eco-friendly space that people often find fits their lifestyle better than a “normal” house. And Lexi has always wanted to build her own. Now, post-college, she’s finally doing it. She’s turning an old trailer into her tiny house, and while she’s just started the process, it is so cool to watch someone do something that they’ve always wanted to do. I hope you spend some time following her.
The three women above are women I admire for their strength, their brilliance, and their love for themselves and others. They are women I try to emulate regularly, which is why I chose to showcase them on this the third day of 31 Days of Loving You. And if you learn nothing else from today’s “For the Weekend,” I hope you learn this: you can always follow your dreams and find who you are. It takes time and exploration, but if these three women can do it, than so can you. Believe that, love. I do.
Miss a post this month? Don’t know why I’m suddenly posting every day? Everything you need can be found HERE.
