525,600

In this final stretch of the 525,600 minutes of 2014, we ask, how do you measure a year?

In daylights? 

In sunsets? 

In midnights? 

 

In cups of coffee?

In inches?

 

In miles?

In Laughter?

In strife?

 

In smiles?

How do you measure a year in your life?

How about love?

Let's celebrate. Let's remember the love. Let's remember all those opportunities to see beautiful. Let's use these finals minutes of 2014 to see and spread as much see beautiful as possible.

Thank you for making this such an incredible year for See Beautiful.

Cheers to the next 525,600 minutes of seeing beautiful!

P.S., If you don't already have the tune of this brilliant song running through your head, here ya go...

You Don't Have to TRY

Thank you to Colbie Caillat for reminding us that we don't have to TRY.

"Put your make-up on. Get your nails done. Curl your hair. Run the extra mile. Keep it slim so they like you, do they like you?

Get your sexy on. Don't be shy, girl. Take it off. This is what you want, to belong, so they like you. Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to, give it all away. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing.

You don't have to try, try, try, try. You don't have to try, try, try, try. You don't have to try, try, try, try. You don't have to try. Yooou don't have to try

Get your shopping on, at the mall, max your credit cards. You don't have to choose, buy it all, so they like you. Do they like you?

Wait a second. Why, should you care, what they think of you. When you're all alone, by yourself, do you like you? Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to, give it all away. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing.

You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to bend until you break. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing.

Take your make-up off. Let your hair down. Take a breath. Look into the mirror, at yourself. Don't you like you? Cause I like you."

Clap Along...If You Feel HAPPY!

Clap along. Just do it. Feel happy. See Beautiful.

Don't Bully - Spread Kindness Rap

We love learning about inspiring and aspiring future educators who are making a difference with children with whom they're already working! In this case, student teacher, Mr. Rezsaun Lewis, empowered a class of fifth graders at Chicora Elementary School to use their creative freedom to create an anit-bulling rap video!

The thinking about writing the script, using personal experiences, learning about music videos and imparting social change resulted in this inspiring rap that others can share with their students.

Featured in a news special in Charleston, South Carolina, we have no doubt Mr. Lewis' thinking and commitment to education is going to be felt throughout the country. Well done, Mr. Lewis. Thanks for helping us see beautiful!

Connect with Rezsaun Lewis on twitter and congratulate him HERE.

Seeing Beauty in This Moment: When Good Prevails

Most of us in the United States will remember where we were on December 14, 2012, when we heard about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, when our hearts ached for the children, teachers, and families who's lives changed instantly. It wasn't beautiful - what happened.The loss was devastating. The sadness? Palpable, from hundreds of thousands of miles away and right around the corner in Newtown, Connecticut.

To see beauty in this moment was not easy - almost impossible at best. And then someone shared with us this video - from almost one year later. A glimpse into how to see beauty in devastation; a way to see beautiful so that evil does not win.

As we enter our final Seeing Beauty in this Moment blog hop for the year it only seems fitting that we do so with great intent to remind and invite us all to see beautiful in all situations - even if it's buried in sadness. We invite everyone to create beautiful with us, in each breath you take - for that breath breathes more beautiful into the world.

In this moment, we see beautiful in the family and friends of the Sandy Hook Elementary School community and their resiliency. We see beautiful in the family and friends of all who stand by each other's side in sad and difficult times to lift each other up with love, and kindness, and understanding. We see beautiful in strangers who come to the aid of other strangers because it's what is right and good and a reflection of love. We see beautiful in the people who we will never meet who stepped into this See Beautiful community and grow it with us every day. You change the world by being in it. You are beautiful. Thank you.

P.S., As a little token of our gratitude, if you're still shopping for items on wish lists, enter "I AM BEAUTIFUL" at check out from our store and what ever you buy you'll get a See Beautiful bracelet free.

The Listening Me

The Listening Me Children's Book by CEO of See Beautiful, Lydia Criss Mays, Ph.D.

To learn more about the author, hop on over to this nifty page: www.lydiacrissmays.com   Four more books in the series coming soon!

Having the opportunity to share ​ The Listening Me with the See Beautiful community is an honor. I spent the better part of my professional career in education at the elementary and University level where I was surrounded by writing, reading, and researching children's literature. The Listening Me helps children develop the lifeskill of listening. I strategically crafted this book to provide children with "listening invitations" to practice and understand the importance of listening. From rising in the morning, to resting their head on the pillow at night, children are invited to interact with the world as a listener and critical thinker. Beyond the book itself, there is a beautiful Adult Discussion Guide thoughtfully crafted by Stephen de Groot of Getting to Better and a Children's Activity Guide designed by Orly Wahba of Life Vest Inside. These two kindness partners of See Beautiful's contributed pieces to the text that empower families and help create important memories and experiences beyond the words I had the honor of crafting. It is a continued treat to work with them! The Target Response Group who prints the books is eco-friendly awesome!  The Listening Me is printed on paper containing fiber sourced from responsibly managed forests and is Lacey Act Compliant. All of The Target Group manufacturing processes are EPA compliant for VOC’s and they routinely recycle all paper, metal, and ink waste. The paper waste goes back to the pulp mills where it is de-inked and broken back down into fiber, the plates – which are aluminum and very valuable - are cleaned and recycled back into other uses, and the waste ink that doesn’t go back into the cans for use next time gets collected and goes back to further processing to basic black ink.  Even the rags used to clean the press equipment are de-inked and cleaned, and responsibly reused or recycled indefinitely. Check out their awesomeness here. Sales from this book, published by Our Rainbow Press, directly support See Beautiful, Getting to Better and Life Vest Inside.

See Beautiful with Lennon and Maisy

 
Lennon and Maisy have voices that make our skin tingle and mouths curve into a smile every time they sing. Whether they are covering popular songs and adding their own creative, beautiful twist or belting out something straight from their hearts, these two young girls make us see and hear beautiful.  Their original song "Bright Side" reminds us that even in the midst of turmoil and sadness, if we focus on something positive, the positive will soon be all we can see.  It is reminiscent of a powerful quote, by Vivian Greene: "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain." Look for that something worth celebrating and come on over to the bright side!

CONNECT WITH LENNON AND MAISY:

• WEB
• YOUTUBE CHANNEL
• FACEBOOK
• TWITTER

"Oh Fitch, Please!"

"Beauty isn't between the number 0 or 8. Oh Fitch, Please!"...from Ellen Degeneres in her response to Abercrombie & Fitch's decision to stop creating clothes over a size 10.

Beauty isn't a number. Beauty can't be bottled. Beauty isn't bought. Beauty isn't a SIZE at ALL!

Thank you, Ellen for seeing and creating more beautiful in the world!

You are More Beautiful Than You Think

If there was ever a video to watch on our blog, this one might just take gold (our willingness to make it a repeat post should be a testament to its brilliance and power).

The following social experiment, hosted by Dove, asked women to do two things: 1) describe herself to a forensic artist; and 2) describe another person they'd just met to the artist. Watching the thinking, sharing, and emotion unfold moved us to tears. The following few minutes will leave you seeing beautiful in the reflection of two sketches: one that reflects self-doubt and criticism projected from pop culture and another reflecting beauty one possesses.

This video is an important, beautiful reminder that it's okay to see beautiful in the reflection staring back at you in the mirror because there is SO MUCH beauty there. Whether others know you intimately or not, they see beautiful. Passing strangers on the street see your softness, your kindness, your beauty. Those who love you see your softness, your kindness, your beauty. It's time for you to see it too.

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a all proceeds are being donated to BullsEye Rescue). Learn more HERE.

Best. Coin. Ever. Spent.

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a all proceeds are being donated to BullsEye Rescue). Learn more HERE.

The Kimbanguist Symphony Orchestra is Beautiful

Sixty minutes reporter Bob Simon starts this feature stating, "Beauty has a way of turning up in places that you least expect it." The Kimbanguist Symphony Orchestra, nestled in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is stopping people around the world by offering sheer beauty for our ear drums and inspiration to guide humanity.

Their rendition of Beethoven's Ode to Joy reminds us that there most certainly is joy in the Congo, and it is changing the world.

everything makes music if you really want it to...

How beautiful that through the music created by these beautiful Congolese symphony orchestra members we were gifted with their sound. There are precious gifts in the DRC who have much to teach us. Let's start with one of the first lessons shared by the Kimbanguist Symphony Orchestra: PLAY WITH JOY.

Watch the 60 Minutes segment HERE.

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a all proceeds are being donated to BullsEye Rescue). Learn more HERE.

To This Day Project

The following Spoken Word Performance by the talented Shane Koyczan serves as a reminder to us all that our choice words and actions have the ability to create beautiful or pain in another's life. It's a choice. What comes out of our mouth can transform someone else's thoughts. It is seminal to understand that power. And it is even more important to use that power to grow kindness in the world vs. hatred in humanity. Listening to his performance is way more powerful than reading our words, so without further ado:

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a all proceeds are being put toward donations to school teachers throughout the month). Learn more HERE.

Seeing Beautiful Without Eyes

You don't need eyes to see beautiful. Let Chica, the dog in the video tell you that. Chica's eyes had to be  removed when she was a puppy. She never skipped a beat. When she's not romping up and down the hills and weaving through the barns on her family's farm, she's doing her favorite thing of all: playing fetch. As shared in the video, she's a pro. Researchers at Purdue are bewildered at this four-legged-friend's ability to, without hitch, run after the ball and retrieve it.

It begs the question (yes, pun intended): What's Chica seeing that those of us with eyes might be missing? It's certainly not darkness. It's a world full of running after your dreams with wild abandon, while simultaneously being thoughtfully aware of your surroundings. We could all take a page from Chica's playbook; do what you love and love it. Be aware of the world around you and figure out how to do the things you love weaving around the parts of life that remain fixed to their location. You can navigate that path - a path you don't even have to see.

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a all proceeds are being put toward donations to school teachers throughout the month). Learn more HERE.

Encore! Encore!

As you watch this beautiful golden retriever dance to the sound of the guitar strings, we hope you're reminded of sounds and rhythms surrounding you that make you smile and dance. Jam to them. Smile to them. Share them with others. Find beautiful for your ear drums and do a little dance.

(Oh, and as a side note we think Bud Light should totally be filling this doggie's treat jar. It's a nice space of free advertising for them too. Eh?)

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a all proceeds are being put toward donations to school teachers throughout the month). Learn more HERE.

Pay It Forward: Today is a Gift

This is one of the most incredible, inspiring, moving, beautiful videos we have ever seen. Ever. Period. Louie Schwartzberg, photographer and happiness-giver extraordinaire, reminds us of the following (but please, please watch the video to understand the images he reflects within some of these words):

• Aren't we glad we have hearts to feel the vibrations of life throughout our own bodies?
• "When you get to explore you get more imagination than you already had. When you get more imagination it helps you go deeper and get more and see more beautifuller things" (young girl in video).
• "You think this is just another day in your life. It's not just another day. It's the one day that's given to you today. It's given to you. It's a gift. It's the only gift that you have right now and the only appropriate response is gratefulness" (man in video).
• "If you do nothing else but cultivate that response to the great gift that this unique day is...if you learn to respond as if this were the first day and the very last day then you will have spent this day very well" (man in video).
• "Look at the faces of the people you meet. Each one has an incredible story behind their face - a story you could never fully fathom, not only their own story but the story of their ancestors. We all go back so far and in this present moment, all that life from generations all over the world flow together and meet you here like life-giving water if you only open your heart and drink...".(man in video).
• Open your heart to that incredible gift that civilization gives to us. Electric light. Turn a faucet and there's warm water and cold water. Drinkable water. A gift millions in the world will never experience. These are just a few of innumerable gifts you experience. Open you heart to all these blessings and let them flow through you.
• "Let everyone who you will meet on this day will be blessed by you. By your eyes. By your smile. By your touch. Just by your presence. Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you. And then, it will really be a good day.

You deserve to take a few minutes out of your day to watch this video to completely change your day. It changed ours and now we watch it on a regular basis to fuel that inspiration.

A special thank you to Michelle, from Gospel of Goose, for sharing this incredible video with us! Oh, and we'll be leaving this video up for several days because we feel it's that special to share with others as an important source of inspiration.

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a portion of proceeds from every purchase is donated to charity. This month 20% of all product sales will be donated to Watch Her Thrive. Click HERE to learn more.

Home Is Wherever I'm With You

These two say sing it so much better than we could (well, she sings it really, really well):

The important thing is to remember home is wherever you're with those you love.

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a portion of proceeds from every purchase is donated to charity. This month 20% of all product sales will be donated to Watch Her Thrive. Click HERE to learn more.

Life is for Sharing (and it's Beautiful)

Coming home is beautiful, just watch and see.

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a portion of proceeds from every purchase is donated to charity. This month 20% of all product sales will be donated to Watch Her Thrive. Click HERE to learn more. 

Beauty Came Out of This Horror

One month ago today the small town of Newtown, Connecticut, and by default millions around the world were devastated. Grief. Tragedy. Sadness. Indescribable horror enveloped Sandyhook Elementary School. It is a continued thought and prayer of so many that a powerful, beautiful, ripple effect can come from such devastation and be felt in a way that gives hope to those suffering. Comfort Dogs are but one example of how "beauty came out of this horror. That's what I'm left with." Newtown High School counselor, Deidre Croce. 

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a portion of proceeds from every purchase is donated to charity. This month 20% of all product sales will be donated to Watch Her Thrive. Click HERE to learn more. 

Shake Your Tail Feathers

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it and your face will surely show it, if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.

New verse:

If you're beautiful and you know it, shake your tail feathers.
If you're beautiful and you know it, shake your tail feathers.
If you're beautiful and you know it, and your face will surely show it, if you're beautiful and you know it, shake your tail feathers.

Frostie knows it:

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a portion of proceeds from every purchase is donated to charity. This month 20% of all product sales will be donated to Watch Her Thrive. Click HERE to learn more. 

525, 600 Minutes

In this final stretch of the 525,600 minutes of 2012, we ask, how do you measure a year?

In daylights? 

In sunsets? 

In midnights? 

In cups of coffee?

In inches?

In miles?

In Laughter?

In strife?

 

In smiles?

How do you measure a year in your life?

How about love?

Let's celebrate. Let's remember the love. Let's remember all those opportunities to see beautiful. Let's use these finals minutes of 2012 to see and spread as much see beautiful as possible.

Thank you for making this such an incredible year for See Beautiful.

Cheers to the next 525,600 minutes of seeing beautiful!

P.S., If you don't already have the tune of this brilliant song running through your head, here ya go...

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Are you looking for a for a tangible reminder to see beautiful, or know someone who needs one? Check out our See Beautiful™ products (and feel good knowing a portion of proceeds from every purchase is donated to charity. This month 20% of all product sales will be donated to St. Anne's Pet Area at The Lantern House. Click HERE to learn more.