As the warm months are winding down to an end, I thought it'd be fun to share a couple of outtakes from our summer look book, Americana. Shooting this book was definitely a highlight of the season for me. I'm gonna get real for a second; I am incredibly shy, self conscious and believe it or not I spent most of my life hiding my body. Two years ago you couldn't even get me to smile for a photo. I didn't appear in any of our early look books, so it was a really big deal for me to the only "model" in this one.
My journey to self confidence didn't happen over night, it has been a spiritual, emotional and physical path for me. I used to have some pretty bad habits, a big part of feeling good about myself has been abstaining completely from certain activities (i.e. drinking, smoking etc). I also started exercising regularly a few years ago and as my work outs gradually gained momentum my diet naturally changed to more healthy options. When I began to take care of my self and nurture my body properly, the way my Creator would have me, I began to feel differently about myself. That was a good beginning, but I also had to stop all the negative self talk. I am lovable no matter what my head tells me. That is something I continue to work on every day. Each morning I start my day with prayer and meditation, I release whatever negativity I may be feeling and remind myself that I am a beautiful child of this Universe. I listen to my inner voice and allow myself to be guided by Love and Trust. The peace that I feel in my life is growing richer every day. Of course, I'm not perfect, I have bad days (I've had a few this week and that's ok), the important thing is that I continue to practice these principles regardless.
SoulMakes has been a huge blessing in my life, it has given me a sense of purpose that I didn't have before. It has allowed me to connect with others and to share creativity. Having a successful business has definitely worked wonders for my self confidence. My heart is full of gratitude for this amazing journey!
Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive and loving throughout our adventure and I hope you all are loving yourselves today!
Love,
MacK Mars
This is wonderful... I am much the same way and trying hard to learn to love myself and see myself as loveable. Most of the time my head tells me I'm a failure and worthless, but somewhere I know that's not true. It's just a matter of getting that to the forefront of my mind.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about the journey you've taken, it's always nice to hear such inspirational stories from others.
Christen
http://christenlouise.blogspot.com
Don't listen to those lies, you are just perfect :)
Delete"Beautiful child of the universe" might be my favourite thing I've heard today.
ReplyDeleteM.
Absolutely loved reading this, and the pic are to die for.
ReplyDeleteXx fox + gypsy
Thanks babe, glad you loved it :)
Deletelove this outfit so much with the spell kimono and your jewelry ♥♥♥
ReplyDeletethanks!
DeleteLoved this post! you are beautiful inside and out seriously.
ReplyDeleteZoe @GypsieSister xx
Thank you Zoe! You are so kind :)
DeleteYou are such a lovely person. I feel like self confidence is like water, so hard to grab on to. We can fill a bucket up with it and carry it around for awhile, but sometimes we forget the bucket at home or lose it on the bus. It's just so darn tricky.
ReplyDeleteThanks you! What a a perfect analogy! I do forget the bucket sometimes. I've actually found that helping others is the best reminder :)
DeleteVery inspirational, Mack. Yet I always find inspiration in you! These have always been my favorite pictures - I can tell that you put a lot of "soul" into what you do. You are beautiful inside & out. Morning prayer & meditation is such an important start to the day, I would feel lost without it. Blessings to you my friend. ♥
ReplyDelete~ Athena xxx
I love this post <3 You should definitely read " Women who Run With The Wolves". It's truly an amazing book. She talks about really listening to that inner voice and how to acknowledge your intuition. She had me from the preface, and I can't put it down. Every woman should read this.
ReplyDeleteSo, I followed a link left on the Free People blog this morning, which led me here...and goodness, am I glad that I chased it. I love your shop, your blog, and especially this post; it was so uplifting. I used to work for a company that traveled around the states talking to high school students about accepting themselves and their bodies (and supporting others in their journey to do the same), so it always makes my heart happy to hear and see the evolution of others finding self love and self worth of themselves. You are most definitely a beautiful person, inside and out, because it radiates. Thank you for sharing your story. You've most definitely won a new follower (and shopper) in me <3
ReplyDeletexo Kailee Anne
spirit x annimal