Blog Tour + #Giveaway: THE MIRROR SAID YOU’RE BE-YOU -TIFUL by Austiage @pumpupyourbook
Title:
THE MIRROR SAID YOU’RE BE-YOU-TIFUL Author: Austiage Publisher: Independent Pages: 212 Genre: Self-Help
In her motivational self-help book, THE MIRROR SAID, “YOU’RE
BE-YOU-TIFUL,” former elite athlete Austiage offers readers a
foundation for embracing their unique beauty in a world that doesn’t always
value diversity and individuality. Writing in a welcoming, conversational
style, Austiage outlines a plan for embracing a positive self-image that
develops from the inside out.
An unexpected question (“Does the mirror make you feel ugly?”) was the
spark that led Austiage to pen THE MIRROR SAID, “YOU’RE BE-YOU-TIFUL.” She
met the young girl, Julianne, who posed the question while donating supplies to
a children’s hospital. After talking with the girl about beauty and what it
means, the author felt moved to share her thoughts with others on this delicate
subject, which many people—young and old, male and female—frequently struggle
with. The book has a powerful message that begins by focusing on the
individual.
Austiage asserts that beauty is much more than aesthetic. She emphasizes
that character is an essential component of beauty and encourages readers to
bolster their character by being positive and kind to themselves and others.
The author repeatedly stresses the importance of having a strong belief in
one’s self and explains how this belief affects how people see themselves, the
type of people they invite into their lives, and the manner in which they take
care of themselves and pursue their goals.
THE MIRROR SAID, “YOU’RE BE-YOU-TIFUL” takes an in-depth look at the necessity of self-care including eating
well without foregoing pleasure, incorporating fitness and relaxation in one’s
daily life, using makeup to highlight and enhance one’s beauty, discarding fear
and doubt to follow opportunities to find one’s passion, and reevaluating
relationships to make conscious decisions about the people in one’s life.
Austiage says, “In my point of
view, my book is about helping those who are at the point in their lives that
they want to feel better about themselves. I think my book will help people
understand that they aren’t the only contributing factor in feeling good or bad
about themselves. Rather, the everyday lifestyle choices they make, the people
they surround themselves with, and the words they use all merge to develop a feeling
unique to how they feel about their identity. Learning how to break down
different aspects of daily life and to reevaluate them will dramatically change
the way they perceive themselves.” Austiage wrote THE MIRROR SAID, “YOU’RE
BE-YOU-TIFUL” “to help everyone understand that they have the ability to
feel beautiful. Ultimately, I want readers to step away from my book feeling
happiness, beauty, and pride from the inside out.”
Finding your
skills and talents—and using them—helps you become your best, beautiful self.
Maybe you know exactly what your talents are, or maybe you need to find them.
But everyone has a purpose on earth, and it is found through our talents and
passions. If you don’t know what your purpose is, you can find it. In reality,
you actually do know what your purpose is—you are the sole authority on who you
are. Maybe your talent is hidden and you have to find it. Or maybe you have taken
your talent for granted and no longer look upon it as a talent. Either way it
is there and it has always been there and all you have to do is notice it and
embrace it.
To identify
your purpose, ask yourself, “What makes me smile? What makes me happy?” Then
analyze your answers. It may not always seem clear at first, so keep thinking.
For example going out to restaurants with your friends and trying new foods
makes you the happiest. Most likely your purpose is not eating, but it may be
becoming a chef who creates new foods. Pay particular attention to environments
you are attracted to. What you enjoy doing, where you enjoy being, who you
enjoy spending time with—these are all part of your purpose in life.
When you feel
lost in your life, remember that no one is born found; at some point we need to
be lost in order to be found. When I’m feeling lost, I’ve learned not to say
that I am lost (that has a negative connotation); instead I say I am currently
on the path to becoming found.
Your purpose
cannot come by force, finding passions and your purpose in life will come when
it is time. You will find it even if you are feeling lost and destroyed. Many
times we need to break in order to be rebuilt into who we are supposed to
become.
Once you’re
purpose is clear, you become motivated. Self-motivation is so beautiful and
attractive, although it is not something aesthetic. Be the person who wakes up
with a purpose in life. Be the person who will chase their own dreams. People
will only start to motivate you when they realize that you already are
motivated.
Being
self-motivated is not only something that others are attracted to, but being a
self-motivated individual gives you a purpose in life which is then going to
create confidence within oneself. Feeling beautiful always comes down to feeling
confident and pride in ones self.
So many times
when we think of being self-motivated as something that is difficult or we
wonder if we have it in us to motivate ourselves. In reality becoming
self-motivated is 4 simple P’s: Passion, Purpose, Position and
Positivity.
§ Passion:
Ask yourself the questions: What am I passionate about? What do I love? What do
I never get tired of doing? If you can find something you are genuinely
passionate about you will always have a feeling of motivation regardless of how
hard you need to work to accomplish the goals you have set. When you are also
focused on doing something that you have a passion about you will also be a
happier person overall. Purpose: you now have a passion you want to be involved
in, now comes the tricky part is to determine what your mission is. You can
find your purpose my asking yourself these questions: What about my passion
inspires me? When determine what inspires within in a certain topic you have
purpose because you know understand how you want to be involved within your
passion.
Position:
Being able to figure out what it is that you want to do within this topic is
crucial. The best way to do this is to just get our a piece of paper and pen
and just start to brainstorm all the different positions you could to take on
with that passion, and once you have a list then just starting to number then
in order of priority—based on your skills and goals. From there you’ll be able
to determine what position you want to take on.
Positive:
Finally the last key on being able to being a self-motivated individual is to
always have a positive outlook on the situation. Obviously there are highs and
lows in life, so even if you are involved with some- thing that you are
passionate about there are going to be times where not everything will go
as you had planned. But understanding these situations and anticipating them
will allow you to keep a positive outlook and will allow you to stay
self-driven.
Austiage is a former national-level champion fencer who was born in
Washington, DC. She speaks seven languages, attended American University, and
is the founder of the Star Individuality Foundation, a nonprofit organization
that supports youths in developing their unique individuality. Her book The
Mirror Said, “You’re Be-You-Tiful” explores the societal pressures that
many people are faced with today and offers a game plan for nurturing
individuality and owning one’s beauty.
3 comments:
Thank you to this blog for the intro to Austiage and her work. What an impressive bio also. A fencing champion. Wow! (jozywails@gmail.com)
Added to my Amazon wishlist. Sounds very unique.
When you are writing do you prefer to type, or old school pen and paper?
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