When you look in the mirror what do you see?

I think everyone at some time or another suffers from low self esteem. It’s easy to feel inadequate to others in looks, in brains, in attitudes, in experiences.

“We are all wonderful, beautiful wrecks. That's what connects us--that we're all broken, all beautifully imperfect.”
― Emilio Estevez

The nice thing about getting older is self acceptance. The Bella Grace magazine is all about accepting and loving yourself just the way you are.

“Life isn’t meant to be lived perfectly…but merely to be LIVED. Boldly, wildly, beautifully, uncertainly, imperfectly, magically LIVED.”
― Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass

“I hog the covers, and my second toe is longer than my big one. My hair has its own zip code...You don't love someone because they're perfect...You love them in spite of the fact that they're not.”
― Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

“Learning to love who you are replaces negative thoughts with a beautiful confidence. You’re embracing every part of you. It’s a powerful confidence that acts as a shield against the possibility of people’s words affecting your self-esteem.”
“The more I accept my own imperfections, the more I make space for others to do the same. Just like judgment feeds judgment, acceptance feeds acceptance.” — Joy Jordan

Here are some excerpts and quotes from Issue 8:

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'" — Mary Anne Radmacher (p. 1)

" ... I laugh at how long I held onto the old list with tight fingers and a narrow mind.To allow old dreams to fall quiet does not make me a failure. To let go of expectations that no longer serve me has revealed contentment with who I am, right where I am.” — Rita Herrmann | From “Allowing Old Dreams To Fall Quiet” (p. 128)

“And as she fell apart her shattered pieces began to bloom — blossoming until she became herself exactly as she was meant to be.” — Becca Lee (p. 160)

“Everybody has a home team: It’s the people you call when you get a flat tire or when something terrible happens. It’s the people who, near or far, know everything that’s wrong with you and love you anyways. These are the ones who tell you their secrets, who get themselves a glass of water without asking when they’re at your house. These are the people who cry when you cry. These are your people, your middle-of-the-night, no-matter-what people.” — Shauna Niequist (p. 19)

“Do more of what brings you joy (and don’t apologize for it).” — Mary Anne Radmacher | From “How To Be The Center Of Your Own Flame” (p. 140)

“I’m going to make everything around me beautiful — thatwill be my life.” — Elsie de Wolf (p. 113)

“Meet me where the sky touches the sea. Wait for me where the world begins.” — Jennifer Donnelly (p. 50-51)

“My wish for you? Find a method to savor the sacred golden hour and witness the magic as the sun slips to the west. Tune in to nature’s symphony of sounds. Seek a slice of quiet and circle in.” — Debbie Schaefer | From “Paddle, Rise, Repeat: Sunset Sessions on the Water” (p. 27)