It was twenty years ago and the first day of my new job as an advertising sales representative for a local newpaper. My boss, who had been in sales for many years asked me what my sales goals were, to which I replied "I suppose it would be to help businesses grow their business through advertising." Her reply? "Well, that's fine and good, but that's not a goal. Your goal should be the amount of sales you want to make in a day, a week, a month, a year..." And so began our frequent debate: my position was that I was going to work as hard as possible and make as many sales as possible while doing my best to serve the needs of my clients. Her argument was that without actual sales goals I had nothing to reach and strive for, and therefore I was seting myself up for failure.

It isn't easy to accept certain aspects of life, particularly more difficult circumstances such as illness, loss, and struggle. I have personally come to know that if you accept things for what they are, somehow working through the challenges of life can be a bit easier. I've also learned that looking for the lessons and the silver lining in all situations, makes getting through times of challenge much easier.

But what has been a difficult process for me is applying this theory to the aging process, and the physical changes that come with aging. I must admit I've always been a pretty vain person...always trying to look my very best. So when I began to notice the effects of living with a chronic illness for many years, along with those inevitable signs of aging that come when you are in your 50's...I really struggled to accept this new person I saw in the mirror each day. Coming to terms with aging has required a bit of refocusing and making a shift in the way I think about myself, as well as causing me to examine my tendency to judge the way I view myself and others by outward appearance.

I remember the day when I saw my reflection and first thought, "who are you?" Shortly afterward I found a plaque with the most appropriate message: "change how you see, not how you look." And so I became determined to apply this wisdom, along with the lessons of acceptance I have learned through the years...and to embrace these changes as a natural part of the aging process. I also remind myself that the reflection I see in the mirror is not "me" - that is just my outer shell, and who I am is my spirit, which is ageless and eternal, and always beautiful.

It is one thing to be accepting of all parts of yourself, and it is another to feel free enough to share these imperfections with the rest of the world. I am not photogenic, even on my best day...so I have rarely taken a picture that I am willing to share with my family, let alone the rest of the world!! But lately I notice that I am less concerned about someone noticing my wrinkles or those couple of extra pounds that seem to manage to hang around no matter what I do to convince them to leave!! I suppose this new-found self-assurance comes from the practice of living in acceptance in other areas of my life...and is slowly permeating every aspect of my being.

I am in the process of creating a new website for a new line of positive intention tee shirts I have developed and asked my beautiful daughter to be my model. We took lots and lots of pictures, and my husband suggested he take one of Laura and I together to share with visitors to the site. Of course as soon as I saw it I began to think, "I could never put this on the website - look at my wrinkles...the double chin...how old I look..."

But as I began posting photos on the site I thought how silly and vain I was being - because in actuality though it may not be the best picture of me (my daughter assures me I really do look a lot better in person!) it is me...and so I decided to post the picture anyway. And truth be told - it hasn't bothered me one bit knowing that people can plainly see some of my flaws and imperfections. It is an amazing feeling to be free of the concern of what others might think of me. It's not that I no longer care, but that I no longer feel the need to prove anything to anyone...that I am finally in a place where I am not only able to accept the circumstance of my life, but to also accept me - warts and all. ~ Andrea :-)
PS: If you want to check out our beautiful tee shirts that will help you to keep your focus on the positive energy you wish to attract into your life, visit our website: http://www.beyourintention.com/.